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Use Africa Cup of Nations to campaign
against proliferation of SALW – WANJSD
Accra, Dec. 14, Ghanadot/GNA – The West Africa Network of
Journalists for Security and Development (WANJSD) on
Thursday called on organizers of the 26th MTN Ghana 2008
Africa Cup of Nations to use the fiesta to campaign against
the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Africa.
“Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) continued to fuel civil
wars and other conflicts, causing harm to millions of
people, particularly in Africa and we must use the passion
of soccer to register our common distaste for its
proliferation in a region bedevilled with conflict,” WANJSD
Deputy General Secretary, Mr. Francis Ameyibor said in a
statement in Accra.
He said, these small weapons are only part of a larger trade
that included heavy and more lethal weaponry.
Light arms are especially more dangerous because they are
cheap, easy to transport and can be handled by ill-trained
rebel soldiers and even children.
Mr. Ameyibor noted that recent United Nations reports show
how these weapons are illicitly exported, transported with
the connivance of government officials in many countries and
smuggled into war zones.
In some areas, automatic weapons are so cheap they can be
bought in exchange for a chicken or a few pounds of rice.
The WANJSD Deputy General Secretary said the uncontrolled
proliferation of SALW in Africa, especially the West African
region suffering from political instability and violent
conflict has proven a major obstacle to peace, economic
development, and efforts to rebuild war-torn societies.
He said recent revelation that there were over 100,000
illegal arms in circulation in Ghana should be a worry for
all Ghanaians to champion the call to use the hosting of
other African countries to speak against the proliferation
of SALW.
He noted that a sub-regional effort to launch a crusade
against the proliferation through ECOWAS Small Arms
Programme (ECOSAP) needed to be given push at Ghana 2008.
He suggested the development and use of messages, posters,
leaflets, and documentaries during the football fiesta to
discourage the use of SALW.
Mr. Ameyibor said the approach should also focus on sports
personalities to speak against the proliferation, encourage
corporate bodies to mount pressure on government’s,
especially West African leaders to ratify the ECOWAS
Convention on SALW.
The WANJSD also appealed to participating football nations
from the sub-region to liaise with their National Commission
on Small Arms, and support civil society organisations
crusade against the proliferation of SALW.
In a related development, ECOSAP Policy, Advocacy and
Communications Officer, Mr Oluwafisan Bankale, had appealed
to the media practitioners, especially sports commentators
and broadcasters to initiate debate, commentaries, and talk
shows during the tournament against the SALW proliferation.
He said, “a moment spent to speak against the illegal use of
arms would contribute to international and local efforts at
building a safe state to ensure that we concentrate our
collective energies on development.”
GNA
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