Fathers of Scots children murdered in Dunblane tragedy in plea to David Cameron over arms treaty

By TIM CORNWELL
Published on Monday 13 February 2012 00:00

THE Scottish fathers of two murdered children have demanded that Downing Street take a leading role in curbing the global trade in guns, as a critical round of meetings on an arms treaty kicks off today at the United Nations in New York.

Dr Mick North, whose five-year-old daughter, Sophie, was among 16 children and a teacher killed in the Dunblane massacre in 1996, called on Prime Minister David Cameron to ensure the UK “remains strong” on tighter controls on the arms trade.

David Grimason, from Edinburgh, whose son Alistair, two, was shot and killed in a Turkish cafe in July 2003, joined him in launching a Scottish campaign for a “bulletproof” global arms trade treaty.

Talks open at the UN today as a six-year campaign for a global treaty regulating the arms trade – the first ever – reaches a climax. The UK government has said a treaty is a “priority” but campaigners have urged Mr Cameron himself to break a “deafening silence” on the issue.

The governments of 153 UN members have been under pressure to deliver a global arms trade treaty since 2006. While final negotiations are due in July, preliminary meetings this week will set the agenda.

An estimated 750,000 people die in armed violence every year, many in countries not at war, but campaigners say the trade in guns, conventional weapons, and ammunition has fewer controls than commerce in bananas.

The weapons used over the past year to kill and suppress demonstrators in the Arab Spring countries – Libya, Bahrain, Egypt, and Syria – focused attention on suppliers in the UK, the US, and Russia particularly.

Campaigners say a treaty must include conventional weapons, small arms and ammunition, must be ratified by enough nations to make it enforceable, and must put human rights at its heart – meaning no arms should be sold to countries where they could be used to abuse human rights. The US, Russia, and other arms suppliers have pushed for language saying only that possible human rights violations must be “taken into account”.

The charities Oxfam and Amnesty International hold an event in Glasgow today to kick off a Scottish campaign at the start of the UN meeting.

Dr North has campaigned for tighter gun controls ever since his daughter’s death.

He said: “The UK has a proud record of reacting with aid in times of famine or flood. We should be equally proud of our role to date in securing effective control over the trade in arms.

“I want Mr Cameron to ensure that the UK remains fully committed to securing a strong treaty. ”

Mr Grimason said: “It is incredible to think we may finally be on the brink of delivering something that will prevent the devastating impact that the arms trade has on families around the world.

“It is up to our politicians to ensure that they put people’s lives ahead of profit, but it is also up to the people of Scotland to make their voices heard and demand that the UK is at the forefront of championing a comprehensive treaty.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said a “robust and effective” arms trade treaty was a “priority” for the UK government, but it would not support a weak or ineffective treaty.

The UK wants to set standards for the arms trade, “ensuring a respect for human rights, international humanitarian law and sustainable development”, he said.