|
WASHINGTON
- October 1 - Participants of a Washington-based arms control alliance have condemned
the administration's attempts to circumvent current arms export controls by
proposing to waive restrictions on arms exports and military aid in its
draft "Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001." The current administration proposal is
to lift restrictions on arms sales to India and Pakistan, including those
prohibiting arms sales to countries with abhorrent human rights records,
countries testing or proliferating nuclear weapons, or a history of
supporting terrorism.
Over twenty participants of the Arms Transfers Working Group (ATWG) – an
alliance of over 30 arms control, peace, religious, and human rights
organizations – sent a letter to Members of Congress on Friday, September
28, 2001, calling on them to oppose any language that gives the President
free rein to send arms and military aid abroad without regard for current
export criteria and other controls on the export decision-making process.
In particular, ATWG participants want to ensure that decisions to send arms
exports and military aid overseas give proper consideration of a country's
level of political stability, respect for human rights, civilian control of
the government, and record of cooperation against terrorism.
The administration's proposals, whether blanket waivers or limited to
specific states, could open the door to ill-considered arms transfers that
do more harm than good. The ATWG letter notes, "we are concerned that the
proposed language could undermine the core values of U.S. foreign policy –
freedom, democracy, and respect for human life – and ultimately jeopardize
American security." Ending congressional oversight on arms sales to
Pakistan and India is particularly worrisome given the risk of inflaming
the ongoing conflict between these nuclear nations.
The administration's proposed arms control waivers may ultimately be
removed from the Anti-Terrorism bill and added to a relevant
appropriations bill. The President may also decide to invoke Section 614
of the Foreign Assistance Act, which gives him special authority to provide
up to $50 million per country per fiscal year in military or other aid for
national security reasons.
The letter is attached. Other organizational letters delivered to
Congress are also available upon request.
September 28, 2001
Dear Member of Congress:
We are writing to express our concerns about language in the
Administration's proposed anti- terrorism legislation that would waive
restrictions on U.S. weapons exports and military assistance to countries
that may assist the U.S. in its fight against terrorism. As
representatives of religious, development, arms control and human rights
organizations working to limit the negative impact of the weapons trade on
international peace and security, we are concerned that the proposed
language could undermine the core values of U.S. foreign policy - freedom,
democracy, and respect for human life - and ultimately jeopardize American
security.
Specifically, we believe that Congress should continue to oversee U.S. arms
exports and military assistance while not sacrificing the following central
foreign policy goals:
• Long-term Regional Stability - the United States should not export
weapons and provide military assistance that could destabilize countries
and regions;
• Respect for Human Rights - the United States should not supply weapons
and military aid to governments that would use them to violate the human
rights of or deny basic freedoms to their citizens;
• Civilian Rule - the United States should not provide weapons or military
aid to those countries whose duly elected head of government is deposed by
decree or military coup;
• State Sponsors of Terrorism - the United States should not provide
weapons or aid to countries that sponsor terrorism;
• Arms Trade Boomerang - the U.S. should not provide weapons or military
assistance to foreign parties if there is a reasonable possibility that
they could be used against U.S. personnel or U.S. interests in the future.
Current U.S. law already includes emergency provisions that permit the
President to provide military equipment and aid to allies in times of
crisis. Before exercising such national security waivers, we urge Congress
and the President to consider the broader foreign policy goals articulated
above and to take steps to ensure that any waiver be limited in both scope
and duration.
Existing restrictions on U.S. weapons exports and military aid have been
carefully crafted over the last fifty years to protect U.S. national
security and prevent the misuse or diversion of U.S. military assistance or
equipment. The tragic events of September 11 demonstrate that the U.S.
must take steps to protect the country and bring to justice those
responsible for the terrorist attacks. But in an effort to overcome the
threat of terrorism, the U.S. should not reverse laws and policies that
have served to keep weapons out of the hands of governments and terrorists
who may threaten U.S. national security.
Sincerely,
Mike Amitay
Executive Director, Washington Kurdish Institute
Kurt Biddle
Washington Coordinator, Indonesia Human Rights Network
Loretta Bondi
Advocacy Director, Fund for Peace
Salih Booker
Executive Director, Africa Action
Peter J. Davies
U.S. Representative, Saferworld
Darryl Fagin
Legislative Director, Americans for Democratic Action
Tamar Gabelnick
Director, Arms Sales Monitoring Project
Federation of American Scientists
Natalie J. Goldring
National Center for Economic and Security Alternatives
William Goodfellow
Executive Director, Center for International Policy
William D. Hartung
World Policy Institute
Martha Honey
Director, Peace and Security Program
Institute for Policy Studies
John Isaacs
President, Council for a Livable World
Greg Davidson Laszakovits
Coordinator, Church of the Brethren Washington Office
Christina Lindborg
Analyst, British American Security Information Council
Kevin Martin
Executive Director, Peace Action Education Fund
James Matlack
Director, Washington Office
American Friends Service Committee
Karen Orenstein
Washington Coordinator, East Timor Action Network
Stephen G. Price
Director, Office of Justice and Peace
Society of African Missions
Susan Shaer
Executive Director, WAND, Women's Action for New Directions
Joe Volk
Executive Director, Friends Committee for National Legislation
Miriam A. Young
Executive Director, Asia Pacific Center for Justice and Peace
###
|
