INDIAN CIVIL SOCIETY CHALLENGES
INTERNATIONAL ARMS MANUFACTURERS AT DEFEXPO 2010

Delhi Disarmament Events and Experts Conference on Arms Trade Treaty for Humanitarian Disarmament for Sustainable Peace, Human Security and Development in India

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A series of workshops, peace vigils, concert & experts conference on
United Nations Arms Trade Treaty in Delhi during Defexpo 2010
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New Delhi, 12 February 2010: From February 15 to 18 more than 600 arms companies from India and abroad take part in the New Delhi Def-expo 2010. With attendees from all over the world the event is a central meeting point for the international arms trade, in which India is one of the world's largest weapons importers.

For the first time, Indian civil society is using this opportunity to address the increasing militarization of our country. In a parallel event to the expo, 21 organizations from all over India join together to appeal to the government to go for welfare instead of warfare. The event is titled “Delhi Disarmament Events and Conference for an Arms Trade Treaty” and focuses on the consequences of the arms trade and the way military spending is prioritized over the well-being of the Indian people. Four days of meetings, workshops, peace vigils, press conference, concert and an experts' conference on a United Nations Arms Trade Treaty will be held in New Delhi between the 14th and the 17th of February.

India's military spending was the 10th highest in the world in 2007, yet India has not been able to tackle poverty and malnutrition even after 61 years of independence. The Indian military budget is eight times the budget for clean water and sanitation. This while more than 450, 000 Indians die every year due to diarrhea. The prevalence of underweight children in India is among the highest in the world, nearly double that of Sub-Saharan Africa.

“When people are dying of poverty and bad sanitation, what protection will arms provide them? The global trade that fuels the epidemic of armed violence is not subject to international regulation. The arms industry is unlike any other. It operates without regulation. There are more regulations in the music and film industry than in arms. Therefore we are calling for making the Arms Trade Treaty happen soonest”, says Binalakshmi Nepram, Secretary General of Control Arms Foundation of India, New Delhi.

The scale of human suffering caused by poorly controlled and irresponsible arms transfers makes political action by the world’s governments imperative. Each year, at least a third of a million people are killed directly with conventional weapons and many more are injured, abused, forcibly displaced and bereaved as a result of armed violence. In India alone, 12 people die from armed violence every day.

Delhi Disarmament Conference and Events is dedicated to providing and distributing information on why development will depend on disarmament, or a reallocation of the funds presently being misused for military purposes. It is dedicated to mobilizing informed public opinion and to inspire non-violent action that will be a major contribution to the growth of a culture of peace. It comprises of workshops, a press conference, peace marches, a concert and an experts' conference on a global arms trade and will be held at several locations in Delhi: Indian Social Institute, Alliance Francaise de Delhi, Press Club of India & India International Centre, New Delhi.

Detailed Programme Schedule

14 February

Civil society workshop
9 am – 1 pm, Indian Social Institute, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

Delhi disarmament conference
2 pm – 5 pm, Alliance Francaise de Delhi, Lodhi Estate

Music concert for peace
5 pm onwards, Alliance Francaise de Delhi, Lodhi Estate, with i.e. a poetrycum dance performance based on the poems by Irom Sharmila and a performance by Mr Susmit Bose.

15 February

Peace march to the parliament
11 am – 1 pm, starting at Jantar Mantar, Sansad Marg, New Delhi

Press Conference
2 pm – 3 pm, Press Club, Raisina Road, New Delhi, with i.e. gun survivor Phillem Johnson and landmine survivor Mohammed Gulzar and participating organizations.

16 and 17 February

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty experts conference
9 am – 5 pm, India International Centre, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi

Apart from these events, Peace vigils will be held every day in front of India Defence Expo  2010 at Pragti Maidan, New Delhi, from 15 to 18 February 2010.

Delhi Disarmament Conference and Events is organised by: Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI); Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network(MWGSN); Ekta Parishad, South Asian Network of Gender Activists and Trainers (SANGAT), Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD ), South Asia People’s Alliance (SAPA), Global Gandhi Forum, Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan(DJSS); Initiatives: Women in Development (IWID); People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL);  National Alliance of Anti-Nuclear Movements (NAAM);  Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CGBA);  KRITI, New Delhi, Centre for Conflict Resolution & Human Security (CCRHS); Empower India;  India Resource Center; Commission for Justice, Peace and Development, Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI);  Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF).

For more information, interview etc please contact us:

Ms Binalakshmi Nepram & Ms Elizabeth Imti
Control Arms Foundation of India

B 5/146, First Floor, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi- 110029
Mobile : 9868233373/ 9953749725 Phone: 011- 46018541, Fax: +91-11-26166234
Email: Binalakshmi@gmail.com/ elizabethcafi@gmail.com