wfn.org | Launching of IANSA

["Sheila MESA" <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Press Release
For Immediate Use
10 May 1999

WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES AMONG THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK ON SMALL ARMS

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is among the founding members of the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) which will be launched at The Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday, 11 May, on the occasion of the Hague Appeal for Peace conference, 11-15 May.

IANSA brings together more than 200 non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It will be one of the biggest international campaign networks of NGOs since the anti-landmines campaign. IANSA's objective is to "prevent the proliferation and mis-use of small arms".

In a press release issued last week, IANSA identifies the proliferation and mis-use of small arms as "one of the greatest humanitarian challenges for the next millennium": "Small arms - handguns, rifles, machine guns and mortars - are the weapons causing misery and destruction across the world. Since 1990, three million people ... have been killed by small arms." IANSA will work "to reduce the demand for small arms by civilians and governments; stem the supply of small arms; stop the illegal gun trade; reduce the quantity of guns in circulation; and reverse cultures of violence."

WCC played a key role in the creation of IANSA

Welcoming the launch of IANSA, Salpy Eskidjian, WCC executive secretary for international relations, said: "Together with our ecumenical partners we have been playing a key role in the creation of IANSA since 1998. The issue of disarmament has been on the WCC agenda for a long time. In this context our concerted effort and focus on micro disarmament is a major contribution to the ecumenical commitment to overcome violence and to build a culture of peace."

Salpy Eskidjian especially welcomed the initiative of WCC's Peace to the City partner VIVA RIO in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who also on Tuesday, 11 May, will launch a signature campaign to support a proposed national law to ban the trade of small arms in Brazil. "We need to encourage and support local and national initiatives such as these at the international level, as well as make a concerted global effort with governmental and non-governmental actors to curb the proliferation of small arms."

Contact:  Karin Achtelstetter, Media Relations Officer           

**********
The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of 336 churches, in more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian traditions.  The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC.  The highest governing body is the Assembly, which meets approximately every seven years.  The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  Its staff is headed by general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

World Council of Churches
Media Relations Office
Tel:  (41.22) 791.61.53 / 791.64.21
Fax:  (41.22) 798.13.46
E-Mail: ka@wcc-coe.org
http://www.wcc-coe.org

P.O. Box 2100
CH-1211 Geneva 2