Topic 2: Illicit

There are 857 million in the hands of civilians, an overwhelming 84.6% of all small arms around the globe. Of those 857 million, only 100 million are registered. The number of firearms in civilian hands is rapidly increasing as demand soars. Within the United States, this number is growing at an annual rate of 4.13%. , Yemen, , Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine are all listed under the top 25 countries with the most firearms (Karp). These same countries are listed as a portion of the top 15 war-torn countries (Nag). The arms flowing in and out of these countries is not regulated, if not illegal, and are used by citizens to engage in civil war.

Though each country has its own laws about small arms and who can obtain them, 10-20% of all small arms are obtained illegally (Chander). All regions of the world are linked in the illicit small arms trade. Some countries have strict gun laws, while other are undeveloped and lack the infrastructure necessary to produce small arms. In both cases, civilians of those countries may turn to the . Officials in different locations take bribes and turn a blind eye to the entering into the country (Stohl). The illicit small arms trade is a global issue, with manufacturers, brokers, and consumers spread out amongst different continents, and therefore requires a global solution.

The illegal small arms trade has wreaked havoc upon many countries as it has allowed terrorists to access guns and other small weapons that they have used to commit violent crimes (“Illicit Arms”). As Former Secretary General Ban Ki-moon aptly explained, “Deny access to ​ illegal weapons and ammunition, and you deny criminals, armed groups and extremists a central means to perpetrate violence, intimidation and harm.” These weapons not only open the door to ​ more murders, but also to the abuse of women and children, and the denial of basic resources. In addition, these weapons make it simpler for a child to attain a and use it, not fully knowing the damage they are causing (“Human Cost”). Further, these weapons make it increasingly difficult for a government to enforce laws, as militias and rebel groups that obtain weapons will use them against the government (Stearns).

In a world that is so technologically advanced, the illicit small weapons trade is not limited to a single location. Social media is often used to connect suppliers and consumers, as well as used for advertising. The consumer is also more disconnected from the supplier and should the supplier be caught, it is harder to track down all the consumers (Schroeder). Due to this advancement, merely knowing the physical hotbeds of small arm trafficking is not enough.

As many attempts to eradicate illicit small arms trade have been unsuccessful, delegates of the Disarmament and International Security Committee are tasked with creating a means to regulate illicit small arms trade. Please consider the following questions:

● What is your country’s position on civilians acquiring small arms and their regulation? ● Has your country been affected by the illicit small arms trade? ● If so, what measures has your country put in place to combat this issue? ● What has the United Nation tried in the past to stop small arms trafficking? ● Where are these trafficked weapons coming from? Who produces them? ● How can war-torn countries or unstable governments stop illicit small arms trade? ● Should countries monitor social media to prevent illicit small arms trade?

Best of Luck,

Yael Blau Chair, Disarmament and International Security Committee YUNMUN XXIX

Works Cited

Chander, Col Sushil. “Illegal Arms Trade: Issues and the Way Forward.” Centre for Land ​ Warfare Studies, 25 Jan. 2018, ​ www.claws.in/1859/illegal-arms-trade-issues-and-the-way-forward-sushil-chander.html. ​ “Human Cost of Illicit Flow of Small Arms, Light Weapons Stressed in Security Council Debate.” United Nations, 13 May 2015. www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc11889.doc.htm. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ “Illicit Arms Trade Fuels Terrorist Groups.” France ONU, 19 July 2018, ​ ​ onu.delegfrance.org/Illicit-arms-trade-fuels-terrorist-groups. ​ Karp, Aaron. “Estimating Global Civilian-Held Firearms Numbers.” Small Arms Survey, June ​ ​ 2018. www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/T-Briefing-Papers/SAS-BP-Civilian-Firearms- Numbers.pdf. ​ Nag, Oishimaya Sen. “The World's Most War-Torn Countries.” World Atlas, 11 Jan. 2018, www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-world-s-most-war-torn-countries.html. ​ Schroeder, Matt. “Beyond the Dark Web: Arms Trafficking in the Digital Age.” Medium, Feb. ​ ​ 2018, medium.com/@SmallArmsSurvey/beyond-the-dark-web-arms-trafficking-in-the-digital-a ge-56ddd806587a. ​ Shah, Anup. “Small Arms-They Cause 90% of Civilian Casualties.” Global Issues, 21 Jan. 2006, www.globalissues.org/article/78/small-arms-they-cause-90-of-civilian-casualties. ​ Stearns, Scott. “UN: Illegal Arms Trade Fuels Central African Conflicts.” VOA, 21 Mar. 2010, ​ ​ www.voanews.com/a/illegal-arms-trade-fuels-central-african-conflicts-88828077/153799 .html. ​ Stohl, Rachel. “The Tangled Web of Illicit Arms Trafficking.” Terror in the Shadows, Center for ​ ​ American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/kf/TerrorinShadows-Stohl.pdf