Arms Reduction Coalition (ARC) Update April 2002

Dear ARC Member or Endorser,

Thank you for supporting ARC.

Enclosed or attached you will find details of our launch meeting on 7^th May 2002 at 7pm in the House of Commons, Room 9. Due to the tragic consequences of the events of September 11 we had to postpone our scheduled Autumn 2001 launch. We have been working quietly in the background spreading the word and gaining support for ARC. Attending meetings, distributing ARC literature and asking questions on "the UN implementing Article 26" and "Arms Reduction and Development". The reception has been very encouraging.

At the Launch meeting we will be asking for members to join the UK ARC Working Group. We are also asking you if you are based in the UK.

Karl Miller presented a paper on ARC to the Disarmament committee at the University of Warwick Model UN general assembly. The students positively received the points raised; as evidenced by the substance of the many questions asked.

European Network For Peace and Human Rights - January 2002

Vijay Mehta presented ARC to activists from many countries in Europe at the launch of European Network For Peace and Human Rights in Brussels. ARC received a good reception when discussed in a workshop

Liverpool Student CND Conference - January 2002

Vijay Mehta got a good response when he presented ARC to students.

UNA - UK Conference - April 2002

The keynote speech by Sir Richard Jolly (UNA's President) on "Human Security" supported the ARC concept. Sir Richard displayed a graph showing that after an initial increase security does not increase significantly with increased arms expenditure. He emphasized that sates of the UN are vastly overspending on military approached to security.

An ARC workshop was held at the United Nations Association Annual Conference, where delegates were given details of ARC. ARC was also plugged in the disarmament workshop.

We also learnt that a UN study by Nobel Prize winning economists concluded that diverting spending from arms to the supply side of the economy would increase employment four times (7 times for the consumption).

A few Quotes

"Every gun, every warship, every tank and every military aircraft built is, in the final analysis, a theft from those who are hungry and are not fed, from those who are naked and are not clothed."
Dwight D Eisenhower, General Commander Allied Forces, World War 2 and US President 1952-1960 (from Peace New's Nonviolent Action Issue 22 June 2001

"Convinced that reductions of military expenditures could be carried out without affecting the military balance to the detriment of the national security of any country" UN Resolution 35/142 B : "Reduction of Military Budgets" 12 December 1980.

"The present cycle is:

A) Large amounts of resources are used to make weapons.

B) The weapons are used to maim and kill people and to destroy their homes, their infrastructure and the environment.

C) The UN, NGO’s and people who care are left to pick up the pieces and try to alleviate the resulting poverty and suffering and rebuilding their environments.

D) The world turns. Humanity advances. The weapons are replenished by more advanced and destructive ones and the cycle starts again." Karl Miller 4 Nov 2001

"43. Demilitarise the Global Economy by reducing Military Budgets and Shifting resources Toward Human Security Programs.
Peace in the 21^st century demands a shift from the 20^th century's expenditures on the military to civilian programs that safeguard human security. Disarmament will entail making drastic cuts in weapons, forces and military budgets. Demilitarisation will require transforming the military economy to a peace economy by allocating resources for programs that ensure the well being of the world's citizens - that provide for the basic human rights of food, shelter, education, work, health, security and peace. It will require global adherence to the United nations Charter and to the development of non-military security structures and peace-making institutions.
As a first step toward disarmament and demilitarisation, the Hague Appeal for Peace endorses the Women's Peace Petition, which calls for a 5% reduction a year for 5 years in military spending and the reallocation of these substantial resources toward human security programs and peace education.
The Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice for the 21^st Century - UN Ref: A/54/98 www.haguepeace.org

ARC on the Internet

Details of ARC can be found at: www.action-for-un-renewal.org.uk/pages/archome.htm . The website includes links to peace, disarmament and development groups, quotes, the proposal, the ARC resolution, and some background information.

Editor: Karl Miller (ARC working Group - April 2002)