Statement by H.E.Dr. Kuniko INOGUCHI

Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Japan

to the Conference on Disarmament

At the Conference on the Implementation, By the Arab States,

of the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in

Small Arms and Light Weapons

Cairo

18 December 2003

Conference on the Implementation, by the Arab States, of the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Traditionally, the concept of security in international relations has generally been addressed in the context of national security. During the Cold War era, people followed the decisions of the elite. In the current post-Cold War era, however, the character of conflicts has changed and the people have become the determinants. It has become increasingly clear that the successful attainment of national security, or the conclusion of peace pacts, does not necessarily bring security to people, and that people continue to suffer and die from insecurity resulting from war-related effects long after the war itself has come to an end, or national security is seemingly restored. Although the likelihood of large-scale international armed conflicts seems to be receding, regional ethnic confrontations and civil war have become salient.

None of these conflicts have a clear solution for achieving peace, but all have one thing in common: deep-rooted hatred in the minds of people. The conclusion of a peace pact, and imposed political structural reform following the pact, might be obtainable in these States. Yet, unless the deep-rooted hatred is adequately addressed as the root-cause of these conflicts, it is impossible to rule out the recurrence of similar military conflicts.

It is in these regional and internal military conflicts that conventional weapons, in particular SALW, are used, fueling and prolonging tragedies. SALW, also known as ‘de facto’ Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), have been responsible for causing more than 90% of the total casualties of all conflicts, inflicting inhumane injury and death on non-combatant civilians, including children, in an indiscriminate manner.

The spread of SALW has not only intensified conflicts, but has also hindered efforts for humanitarian aid operations and post-conflict restoration and development, as well as re-igniting military conflicts and facilitating various crimes. SALW are easy to acquire by various sub-national actors, creating a vicious circle whereby the general public feels compelled to acquire similar weapons to defend themselves against the threats posed by such actors. Hence, there is an urgent need to collect and eliminate these conventional weapons that are illegally and excessively circulated, traded, and accumulated. Concurrently, security reform must be pursued, including the establishment of an impartial democratic law enforcement force that would help restore confidence in the rule of law.

Having said this, dealing merely with the current status of affairs is not sufficient to enhance human security in the long term. What is fundamentally important is to acknowledge that ‘reconciliation’ at all politico-social levels, including at a grass-root level within different communities, is the key to ending conflict and reconstructing peace. Reconciliation is a multi-complex process, including the search for truth, justice, forgiveness, healing and other elements, in order to find a way to coexist with former adversaries; ‘a process through which a society moves from a divided past to a shared future’. Leaving the root-cause of a conflict unresolved would keep the time-bomb ticking, ready to re-explode at a later date.

Since disarmament is the indispensable element in the early stage of post-conflict reconstruction, a careful designing of a disarmament programme, with the concept of ‘reconciliation’ at its core, is of crucial importance. From this viewpoint, I would like to draw your attention to the significance of coordinating and reinforcing efforts on disarmament, reconstruction and reconciliation (DRR). In societies emerging from deep-rooted conflict, it is important for the international community to cooperate for the structural prevention of conflict resurgence, not only through disarmament and demobilization, but also by promoting reconstruction and reconciliation. It is particularly important to consider how the concept of reconciliation can be embedded in the process of reconstruction in the post-conflict period and how disarmament programmes can be designed with a view to enhancing reconciliation.

‘Weapons for Development (WfD)’ constitutes one important way to facilitate reconciliation, providing a peace-building process that tackles the root-causes of conflicts, such as poverty and social exclusion, deriving from deep-rooted hatred in the minds of local people. It is a comprehensive and community-based weapons reduction mechanism, collecting weapons from the community in exchange for assistance in improving social infrastructure by offering incentives of development projects to war-affected communities. Thus Disarmament, Reconstruction and Reconciliation is achieved: the excessive circulation and possession of SALW is reduced, whilst at the same time facilitating reconstruction and reconciliation to prevent the recurrence of conflict.

The 'Weapons for Development (WfD)' project in Cambodia, to which Japan has provided about 3.68 million USD, has clearly demonstrated Japan’s commitment in this field since 2001. These development projects are designed in accordance with the needs of communities in various regions of Cambodia, in exchange for voluntarily submission of small arms from civilians. Such incentives include: repair and/ or establishment of schools and social infrastructures, such as bridges, roads, and wells, and strengthening of the local police capability in order to enhance the level of order within the community in the absence of small arms as self-defense measures in the hands of local people.

The programme also emphasises the importance of public awareness activities regarding disarmament and social reconstruction. It is impossible to completely remove the deep-rooted hatred from the minds of war-affected people. Yet, Japan’s assistance to Cambodia aims at helping the reconciliation process: the coexistence of civilians with former adversaries within and across communities to develop the degree of working co-operation necessary to move towards a shared future. Here, Japan (as a donor), local NGOs, and local war-affected communities and civilians all directly participate in the process of weapons collection, peace-building and capacity-building in Cambodia.

Only after weapons are surrendered voluntarily by people can their lives be improved by sustainable development, the creation of good governance and confidence-building between security sectors and civilians, hence reducing the recurrence of military conflicts. Japan’s approach is regarded as effective and applicable to various regions of the world. Under this approach, development assistance is provided to the regions where small arms collection is carried out in order to give more momentum for their collection.

Japan’s commitment to post-conflict reconstruction assistance, with a view to enhancing reconciliation and development in war-affected communities, is also manifested through its most recent pledge to extend, through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a grant aid for conflict prevention and peace building of 408 million yen for the Programme for Support of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This grant assistance was pledged as part of Japan’s cooperation for Africa at the Third Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD III), recently held in Tokyo, and it is expected that the Programme will promote the economic and social reintegration of ex-combatants into local communities, restore and keep order, and stabilize society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Compiling all these elements, it becomes clear that a mere provision of financial support in post-conflict reconstruction is not sufficient: the key to success lies in embedding the concept of ‘reconciliation’ into the process of reconstruction, including various disarmament measures through a people-centred, community based approach. Without dealing with the root-cause of hatred in the minds of fighting groups and communities, a fragile peace, achieved only at a political level, can easily break down. Both disarmament and reconciliation, including the integration of former soldiers as well as civilians, are an absolute must in reconstructing war-affected communities. Based upon this recognition, I would like to present the following proposals:

� Embedding the importance of a community-based, people-centred approach in reconciliation and reconstruction

Disarmament must be implemented through a cross-group/ cross-cutting, participatory approach to understand the proliferation and misuse of illicit SALW. The views of the ‘real’ people must be appropriated, and they need to be fully involved at all levels of weapons collection programmes. Capacity building at a local level also needs to be incorporated into disarmament programmes.

� Providing disarmament-related economic and social incentives to war-affected communities and peoples

Disarmament forms the basis for the reconstruction of war-affected communities and economic development. Providing incentives to ex-combatants to surrender their weapons is an important beginning for DDR in a post-conflict period. The programme needs to be designed in such a way that collective socio-economic benefits are provided in a community-based format so as to facilitate reconstruction.

� Prevention and Eradication of illegally circulated / traded weapons and surplus weapons: The prevention of the further circulation of small arms would physically curb the possibility of the recurrence of a military conflict. It would also help cut the vicious circle of the easy availability of weapons, breeding violence, which in turn drive people to take weapons into their hands in fear of insecurity.

� Universalisation and Enhancing the implementaion of existing conventions/ norms on landmines and SALW

This requires a need for actions to be taken in each region, taking into account specific regional security situations. This also demands the continuing call for membership of major states that are not yet parties to these conventions and norms.

� Need for enhancing disarmament education: multi-cultural/ ethnic education at all levels of society

Educating the current generation and generations to come, would ultimately be the most effective way to enhance public awareness on the importance of mutual understanding across different ethnic, religious, and cultural groups.

� Encouraging the international community to focus more on human security in their ODA policy towards war-affected states/ communities

ODA programmes that promote ethnic reconciliation and human development need to be enhanced as shown in recent measures taken by Japan. It is also important to promote the indigenous development of war-affected states and communities through small to medium-sized grass-roots projects.

� Linking various existing projects/ institutions/ organisations:

There is a need for creating a network of public, private and civil society actors across borders and issue areas to enhance the sense of shared responsibility and commitment by the international community and to improve efficiency in their functioning.

� Mobilisation of effective and adequate resources

The UN Trust Fund for Human Security (established following the UN Millennium Summit by Japan) is an important starting point, and there is the need to broaden its donor base and to establish an Advisory Board on Human Security to provide advice and foam to this Fund, as suggested by the Report of the Commission on Human Security. Also, the World Bank and the International Development Bank must take into consideration human security in providing funding for various development-related programmes across the globe.

Thank you.