Post-War Sri Lanka & The Arms Trade Treaty 

By Vidya Abhayagunawardena –JUNE 6, 2018

Vidya Abhayagunawardena

Any legitimate government’s utmost responsibility will be to protect its own people from enemies, protect its territorial land, maintain law and order, improve its socioeconomic status, protect and safeguard its natural environment, historical and other nationally valued interests, and which is supportive of world peace. To have all these, no doubt, those governments need to have armies and police equipped with certain weapons. Such weapons need to produced or acquired from other countries in a transparent and responsible manner. Transparent and responsible arms trade will heal many wounds of nations without doubt. 

But the question is how many governments are legitimately engaged in a transparent and responsible arms trade?  In today’s context arms trade is the biggest business on the planet which involves mainly governments, politicians, the corporate sector, arms brokers, terrorists, armed groups and influential individuals.  According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in 2015 financial value of the global arms trade was at US $ 93.3billion. 

Governments’ failure to meet basic needs of people 

Today, most of the developing nations are facing severe economic, social, environmental or political crises which negates their socioeconomic development and safeguards the natural environment. Directly or indirectly this links to the ongoing armed conflicts or preparation for armed conflicts if they arise in the future. This led to governments not being able to meet the basic needs of people (human security-health, education etc) and tend to spend more and more resources on acquiring or producing arms and ammunitions. This tendency will not only be able to finding peaceful solutions for their issues but also profiting the arms producers and arms brokers.  

Terrorists and armed groups acquire conventional weapons 

Terrorists groups and armed groups around the world engage with various businesses such as fighting against the states, fighting among armed groups, anti-poaching activities which thrive on the illegal wildlife trade, human smuggling, drug dealings and business of killing humans etc. The illicit weapons trade which thrive in  the present day global arms trade. Sometimes governments may engage with illicit arms trade which the arms directly or indirectly falls into the hands of terrorist or armed groups. 

Importance of regulated arms industry for local development 

Unregulated and irresponsible conventional arms trade intensify and prolong conflicts, lead to increase sporadic levels of  human rights abuses, hinder socio-economic  development, regional instability and loss of natural resources, this includes increase in the illegal wildlife trade. 

Developing nations like Sri Lanka suffered heavily due to the 30 year long war between the Government security forces and LTTE until 2009. The LTTE had acquired weapons from various sources around the world to fight against the Government security forces. The LTTE had submarines which the Sri Lankan Navy was not equipped with. They had ships to transport weapons from around the world. Still no records are available about how much the LTTE spent on acquiring weapons. No doubt that it was a multi-billion dollar business. The Government of Sri Lanka has also acquired certain conventional weapons, which were not done in a transparent manner according to the media reports during the war. 

The 30 year war brought Sri Lanka to a standstill at various points. Sri Lanka is a one of countries in the world which suffered heavily due to the unregulated arms industry. The 30 year war in Sri Lanka tells the world of the importance of having a regulated arms industry. This will no doubt help developing nations to meet peoples’ expectations and the governments to be supportive of them.  

Illicit arms issue in Sri Lanka 

Due to illicit arms (small arms and light weapons) every year many civilians get killed in Sri Lanka. Most of small arms and light weapons used in Sri Lanka in automatic forms and bullets which are imported from other countries and none of them are produced in Sri Lanka. Still there is no record available about how many illicit arms are in the hands of armed underworld groups and individuals in Sri Lanka.  This directly hinders the socioeconomic development, political stability of the country and the security of the people. 

Some years prior to the ATT came into force in 2014 Sri Lanka had some impressive actions against proliferation of illicit arms. During the height of the war in 2005, the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunga has set up the National Commission Against Proliferation of Illicit Arms in All Its Aspect (NCAPISA). Not only in Sri Lanka was that the first commission but also in the world to set up in that nature.  The NCAPISA led many activities against illicit small arms and light weapons proliferation in Sri Lanka and has shown the world Sri Lanka’s commitment on the matter.  

In 2006 several important steps were taken in this regard. In 2006 July, Sri Lanka destroyed over 35,000 small arms to mark the “International Gun Destruction Day” at the Independence Square. The same year Sri Lanka’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN New York Prasad Kariyawasam presided over the UN Conference to Review Progress in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects which was held in New York. At the same conference on 26 June 2006 Sri Lanka’s then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa made a statement on Sri Lanka’s progress with regard to NCAPISA and country commitments on the subject.

 In 2008 March, the NCAPISA published a survey report with a foreword by then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse. On the 8th May 2008 a report was submitted to the UN Conference mentioned above.  In 2009, the war ended with the LTTE and during that time NCAPISA became defunct and post-war Sri Lanka started again to experience the proliferation of illicit weapons.  

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