RP affirms commitment to disarmament

One weapon for every 12 persons, or a total of 500 million small arms proliferating worldwide. Four million deaths caused by light weapons in 10 years. At least 300,000 youths exploited in conflicts involving the use of small arms.

In lieu of these grim statistics released by United Nations officials to mark World Disarmament Week which ends today, calls were made for countries to give priority to preventive diplomacy – including intensive disarmament programs, aside from instituting reforms in peacekeeping operations.

The Philippines has been working hard as well in the realm of disarmament involving bigger weapons of mass destruction. At ceremonies marking UN Day recently, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Lauro Baja announced that the Philippine Senate will soon ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty.

As a dutiful founding member, Manila has also signed "all but two" of the 25 core treaties and conventions identified by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for signature at the recent Millennium Summit.

The two remaining core treaties that Manila has yet to sign are: the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty; and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Baja said, "We are committed to participate in UN peace operations as much as our resources will allow," but that the Philippines would rather emphasize "preventive diplomacy rather than reactive peacekeeping" to avoid armed conflict, including those encouraged by the proliferation of small arms.

UN Resident Coordinator Terence Jones, in reading the message of the UN Secretary General on UN Day, said Annan had reminded all UN members of the pledges they made at the recent Millennium Summit, primarily a vow to free their peoples from, among others, "the scourge of war."

"These pledges give us cause for hope. But they will change nothing if they are not followed by action. Ever since the Millennium Summit, renewed bloodshed in the Middle East has reminded us all how dangerous it is to leave political and social grievances unresolved," Annan said in his UN Day message.