The Lord of War
- Background Information
Amnesty International's issue briefs
See the map "Brokering Arms for Genocide"  |
- Ruthless arms brokers unhindered: The
need for a global agreement on arms brokering
In the last decade and a half, ruthless arms brokers have been at the center of many of the most disturbing arms deals, including weapons transfers to abusive armed groups and countries under U.N. arms embargoes. In a typical example, arms brokers purportedly organized a shipment of 3,117 surplus assault rifles from Nicaragua to Panama, but in fact were diverted to Colombia’s paramilitary Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC). - Arms for deadly attacks: More U.S. funding needed to secure foreign arms stockpiles
Around the world, poorly secured or surplus arms stockpiles serve as a major source of weapons for armed groups, organized crime, and violent conflicts, often with devastating consequences for civilians. According to Small Arms Survey, a government-supported research group in Geneva, an Algerian armed group called the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat likely received arms from Mali government stockpiles in 2003. This armed group is believed to have been responsible for the kidnapping of 32 tourists in the Sahara desert during 2003 and is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State. -
Stop arms trafficking to abusive armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Despite peace agreements in 2003 and a UN arms embargo initially imposed in July 2003, weapons and munitions, including U.S. made weapons, continue to reach armed groups known for flagrant human rights abuses in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). These armed groups use weapons to kill, maim, and rape civilians as well as to control and exploit rich mineral resources such as cassiterite, coltan, gold, and diamonds, endangering the fragile peace agreements.
Amnesty International reports
- Democratic Republic of Congo: Arming the East
This recent report documents how large quantities of weapons and ammunition from the Balkans and Eastern Europe are flowing into Africa’s conflict-ridden Great Lakes region, despite evidence of their use in gross human rights violations.
- Shattered Lives
Control Arms report
- Sudan: Arming the perpetrators of grave abuses in Darfur
AI report
Fact sheets on the human cost of the uncontrolled global arms trade (SAWG)
- Small arms and children
- Small arms and human rights
- Small arms and international humanitarian law
- Small arms and natural resources
Fact sheet on illicit arms trafficking (Federation of American Scientists)
