How you can help to advance ARC

Preamble
Introduction
What is The Proposal?
The UN is Trying
Why we need you?
The People ARC
Everyone
Groups
Influencers
Summary

Preamble

Kindred Spirits,

In considering this proposal, please be mindful of the fact that human beings are organisms and that most micro-organisms / bacteria die from the toxic effects of their waste products, before their food runs out.

Introduction

The Arms Reduction Coalition (ARC) is campaigning for the states of the United Nations (UN) to agree and implement a legally binding instrument, to reduce the amount of resources spent on arms by between 1 and 5 percent for a period of between 10 and 25 years, and to spend the resources saved on programmes that benefit humanity and the earth. This reasonable proposal is based on Implementing Article 26 of the UN Charter, which the states of the UN have committed "to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the worlds human and economic resources".

Countries spent US$840 billion (an estimated 2.6% of world Gross Domestic Product) on weapons and other military expenditure in 2001, an average of US$137 for every person in the world. A one percent year on year reduction on the previous year’s expenditure would make $8bn available in the first year. Over ten years this would total $73 bn available for the improvement of humankind and preservation of our common home - Earth. During the same ten years $7,573 bn would still have been spent on things to kill people.

Note: The total net programmed budget of the UN for the two years 2002 and 2003 is (6, 082, 959, 000) 6bn US dollars

ARC is about resources. Reducing the amount of resources being spent by the states of the UN on things to kill people, and diverting those resources to positive (UN based) humanitarian and Earthism programmes such as poverty reduction, sustainable development, protecting the vulnerable, peaceful resolution of conflict systems, maintaining the environment.

What is The Proposal?

Essentially the proposal is for all the Member States of the UN to make a legally binding commitment to reduce the amount of the world's human and economic resources diverted to armaments by a small (one to five) agreed percentage each year for a period of 10 to 25 years. The resources saved can be used for poverty reduction, sustainable development, conflict prevention, peaceful resolution of conflict systems, maintaining the environment etc. A strong emphasis is placed on implementation; requiring Members to have systems in place so that their resource figures can be independently verified / audited each year.

UN Members will be required to recommit every ten to twenty five years, so that if the proposal does not work they can revert back to spending the world's precious resources making things to kill people.

In summary a 1% to 5% reduction over 10 to 25 years. I hope you agree that this is reasonable.

Note: ARC is just a small step. It is a small part of the solution. It will give us some hope. It will not get rid of all weapons or eliminate nuclear weapons or achieve peace. It is a reasonable request that almost everyone can support. Please do not try to change ARC so that it becomes unreasonable to many.

Just a quick mention of some of the benefits of arms reduction.

The proposal is about using those resources to improve the quality of life of all the Earth’s peoples. The coalition calls for some of the savings to be spent on programmes on own state’s programmes; which conceivably could include tax reductions.

 The UN is Trying

I note from the UN web site that periodically the UN tries to implement article 26, but they usually fail to reduce the resources diverted to armaments or at best have limited success.

"In the Millennium Declaration [September 2000] ... governments from all over the world pledged themselves to free their peoples from the scourge of war, from abject and dehumanising poverty, and from the threat of living on a polluted planet with few natural resources left ...[and] to promote democracy and the rule of law; to protect children and other vulnerable people; and to meet the special needs of Africa. And they promised to make the United Nations itself more effective, as an instrument for pursuing all those aims. ....
The Charter was written in your name .... In the end, only you can ensure the Declaration is more than fine words. It is up to you to see the pledges honoured, and so to make the new century better than the old
".
Message to the Peoples of the United Nations from Secretary-General Kofi Annan 24 October (United Nations Day), 2000.

The UN has put many of the mechanisms required for arms reductions in place, such as the arms register, Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Chemical Weapons Convention, biological weapons convention.

Indeed the UN has have departments and committees devoted to disarmament – but at present they can’t even agree to set a date for the next disarmament conference.

The result of this slow progress in the UN has been a continued proliferation of arms world wide. Consider there are about 500 million small arms in the world, that is one per 12 persons. The states of the UN will only reduce the amount of resources expended on armaments when their peoples demand it.

Why we need you?

To quote Ex-Swedish Premier Olaf Palme;

"It is very unlikely that disarmament will ever take place if it must wait for the initiatives of governments and experts. It will only come about as the expression of the political will of people in many parts of the world."

Just imagine how great it will be if we succeed. For the poor people, for all peoples, and indeed life on earth. Its worth a try! Ten years ago we did not have mobile phones, yet in some countries there are now more mobile phones than people. Fifty years ago, few women could vote, yet now most have the vote. The change to a culture of peace is possible.

Its worth a try! Do you want your children to live in a world where more taxes are spent on making weapons to kill people than on Housing and Environment or Agriculture and employment or Transport? Is that civilized progress?

The proposal is about reducing the resources spent on things to kill people, possibly you or your relatives. Especially as in Kofi Annan’s Millenniums report "We the peoples the Role of the United Nations in the 21st Century.." report we read that most wars are within states and most people killed or injured are civilians. 90% of all war casualties are civilians. At a recent WTO meeting, during a short conversation, a guy told me that some of the weapons sold to Nigeria by the UK, were sold by the Nigerians to the IRA. In the 20th century a large number of people were killed by their own governments.

For it to succeed we require a broad based campaign, with demonstrated support from a large cross section of the population. We need You. Only then will the States of the UN consider it seriously, and perhaps, hopefully make a legally binding commitment required.

If you think there are too many arms, more than is needed to ensure our security; Join ARC. Or, If you think too many resources are being spent on weapons; Join ARC. Or, If you want more resources to be spent on the environment, or tackling diseases, or helping the poor, or on development, or on conflict prevention; Join ARC. Or if you think that the arms trade or making things to kill people is abhorrent; Join ARC. Or, if you want the possibility of paying less tax. Join the Arms Reduction Campaign.

Your support could help to save the lives of thousands and help to improve the quality of your own life.

How Long Will ARC Take?

ARC was launched in 2002. It is a young organisation with few resources. Building a movement to influence the UN will require much resources, time, effort and support. Getting the UN to agree a treaty will take many years. We are proposing a way to implement Article 26 and achieve arms reductions for many consecutive years; something the UN has failed to do since its formation in 1945. It is intended that when the ARC treaty is ratified ARC ceases to exist. ARC's members are therefore encouraged to join other groups.

" Be patient my brothers and sisters, be patient.
Just as a farmer is patient
as he waits for the autumn and spring rains to water his crops.
you also must be patient,
and hold your heads up high.
Happy are those whose greatest desire is
peace and love."

From Arms Traders Warning Warning. An ARC song by Karl Miller 

The People ARC

ARC is encouraging you to form a People ARC or an arc made up of people. This consists of people linking arms in the shape of an arc. This can be many rows deep. At the start or end of a meeting may be the best time. The arc should be maintained for one minute; during which everyone is asked to maintain silence and encouraged to think about ARC related things. Such as; all the people, who have been killed, maimed or traumatised since 1945 and will be in future, due to the proliferation of armaments. All the uses the resources being wasted on armaments could be put to and the good they could do if diverted from armaments. Think on both the negative and positive things associated with ARC.

Everyone

You have expertise that will make a valuable positive contribution to the campaign. The proposal is not be owned by an individual or a group, but by all peoples who in their hearts of hearts agree that we need to reduce the amount of precious resources being wasted on armaments.

We are asking for your support. This could include:

Above all discuss ARC. Ask your family and friends if they think there are too many weapons in the world. Point out that resources are constrained and too many are being wasted on armaments. Spread the word; ARC.

Groups

ARC requires the support of many groups such as Non-Governmental Organisation, Peace, Poverty, Development, Environmental and religious Groups. Especially those that will benefit from the diversion of resources from armaments to their missions.

Influencers

If you are in a position to influence others; then please encourage others by declaring your support for ARC. Many people will be scared to join ARC. They require your courage, leadership and good example. A few examples of support by some influencers include:

Academics
Write letters and papers on ARC.
Relate ARC to your discipline.

Artists
Compose works of art based on ARC

ARC's members
Hold local ARC events
Become knowledgeable about ARC.
Write your ARC speech.
Engage other groups in discussion about ARC
Perform collections for ARC
Get people to sign the ARC petition.
Spread the word

Arms Trade Workers
Get another job. Find something else to do with your lives than developing, making, selling or providing things to kill people.

Arms Users
Find something else to do with your lives than killing people.

Children
Ask your parents and teachers about ARC topics.
Do some ARC art.

Lawyers
Help to draft the ARC treaty

Media
Write articles on ARC
Link ARC into your stories.
Produce and broadcast less violent materiel.

Military
Get your ARC plans in place.
Reduce the resources you consume and require.
Find other non-violent ways of providing security.

Musicians
Write songs about ARC.
Mention ARC during your performances.

Politicians and Diplomats
Lobby your party members on ARC.
Propose motions based on ARC
Support ARC at the United Nations
Call for an ARC treaty.
Where you have to spend resources (such as tied aid) on military equipment; suggest spending it on things that could help people such as building equipment, vehicles and medical supplies.
Suggest investing in non-lethal weapons.

Religious Leaders
Pray for ARC.
Publish ARC prayers.
Pray for the peoples whose lives have been wrecked by armaments.
Pray for peace.

Sports people and athletes
Form People ARCs. (before, after, during your events or celebrations).

Teachers
Teach the children about the Culture of Peace.
Teach topics based on ARC.
Relate ARC to your discipline.

Others.

Please forgive me if I omitted you from the brief list above. Whatever your calling or status in life your support for ARC is important. You will be able to think of many more ways in which you and others can support and progress ARC.

Summary

The ARC proposal calls for a 1% to 5% reduction over 10 to 25 years of the resources being spent by the states of the UN on things to kill people. I hope you agree that is reasonable.

For ARC to succeed we require a broad based campaign, with demonstrated support from a large cross section of the population. Only then will the States of the UN consider it earnestly, and perhaps, hopefully make and implement the legally binding commitment required.

Your support could help to save the lives of thousands and help to improve the quality of your own life.

Do you think there are too many arms?
Do you think too many resources are being spent on weapons?
Do you want more resources to be spent on the environment, or tackling diseases, or helping the poor, or on development, or on conflict prevention?
Do you think that the arms trade or making things to kill people is abhorrent?
Do you want the possibility of paying less tax?
If you said yes then Join the Arms Reduction Campaign.

Please support and take on this proposal, join ARC, and let we the peoples start upon a new direction of peace and better usage of our Earth’s extremely precious resources.

Just Imagine ….

Karl Miller 1 Aug 03 v0.1