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UN approves historic arms treaty amid some dissent

UNITED NATIONS -- In a historic move that culminated more than a decade of work, the United Nations on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a treaty intended to regulate the multibillion-dollar international arms trade.

The 154-to-3 vote, which was greeted by applause and cheers in the often-staid General Assembly chamber, occurred despite concerns over human rights atrocities around the globe and objections from victims of armed conflicts in Latin America.

The treaty requires countries that export weapons to establish safeguards ensuring those exports are not transferred to terrorist and organized crime groups. The United States was among the countries in the 193-member body that voted for the accord, which North Korea, Iran and Syria voted against. Almost two dozen countries abstained, including China and Russia.

Survivors of armed conflict, who have observed negotiations, said those working on the treaty did not include even one provision in the final document that addressed aiding those permanently disabled by small arms and mass casualty weaponry the treaty seeks to regulate. A Mexican mission official, whose country was a strong proponent of the treaty, said after the vote that it was a foundation for future work that could include a focus on victims.

“This is an excellent move by the international community,” which was eager for an international security success, said Roberto Dondisch, head treaty negotiator for the Mexico’s U.N. delegation. “This treaty should provide us with a basis of actually working together in terms of fulfilling those issues that might not be already covered by the treaty — that we all know we have to address them.”

Groups that monitored the talks when negotiators failed to reach consensus on the final language last week, say they felt virtually ignored by negotiators. A floor vote was scheduled after consensus could not be achieved.

“It’s important for the survivors and leaders to speak up and say, ‘Hey, we have a big problem,’” said Alex Galvez, executive director of the Guatemalan-based Transitions Foundation, which serves the country’s disabled community.

At age 14, Galvez was shot at point blank range with a gun that he says remained on the black market after Guatemala’s 30-year civil war. The lower part of his body remains paralyzed.

“It’s difficult [for survivors] when you don’t have anyone supporting you financially,” said Galvez, 36. “Instead of investing so much money on ammunition and weapons, [countries] should help us to create programs that will help all these people that are getting injured by these weapons.”

But even a treaty that does not address the lifelong medical needs of post-conflict victims is better than no treaty at all, he said.

The estimated annual number of deaths caused by armed violence globally ranges from 280,000 to 378,000, according to Oxfam America, which led a campaign in favor of the agreement. Annual arms sales are between $50 billion and $60 billion, with the U.S. selling $220 billion worth of arms to the developing world between 2004 and 2011, according to a congressional report.

Anna Macdonald, Oxfam’s head of arms control, heralded the treaty as a warning to “warlords and dictators that their time is up.”

“They will no longer be able to operate and arm themselves with impunity,” MacDonald said in a statement after the vote.

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