Kerri Karvetski <karvetski@gmaiI.

com>
CIick. Boom. Why Amnesty's gone bananas
Frank at Amnesty InternationaI USA <alerts@takeaction.aiusa.org> Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 2:11 PM
Reply-To: alerts@takeaction.aiusa.org
To: Kerri Karvetski <kk@companykmedia.com>
An historic opportunity to stop arming
thugs and tyrants.

Dear Kerri,
have good news and bad news.
Good news first -- there are dozens of tough regulations in
place protecting you from buying an oddly shaped banana.
But regulations on the global trade of weapons? Not so
much.
While the international community regulates the heck out of
things like bananas and dinosaur bones, there are virtuaIIy
no gIobaI ruIes for the trade of products designed to
kiII and injure.
That's the bad news. And it's absolutely nuts.
But a solution is in sight. Starting July 2, representatives of
nearly every country will convene at the UN in New York to
negotiate an historic Arms Trade Treaty.
Urge President Obama to fight for a buIIetproof Arms
Trade Treaty that incIudes meaningfuI protections
against human rights abuses.
Amnesty has spent the last 10 years campaigning for a
global solution to the irresponsible and illicit arms trade that
puts human rights first.
Going bananas for an
Arms Trade Treaty

Yesterday, Amnesty activists
took to Times Square to raise
awareness about the absurd
fact that there are more
regulations on bananas than
there are for conventional
weapons. And it's costing
people their lives.
Sign the petition to

The dirty truth is that the indiscriminate transfer of guns and
ammunition results in hundreds of thousands of deaths
every year. Many of these weapons are used to commit
sickening human rights abuses.
Consider these sobering facts:
ChiId soIdiers. Governments and armed
groups in 19 countries are training children --
some as young as eight years old -- as to be
killers. They load these youngsters up with
weapons obtained via the irresponsible arms
trade.
Armed vioIence against women and girIs.
Without a doubt, guns have fueled the
epidemic of rape and other sexual violence in
countries torn apart by armed conflict such as
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). n
the DRC 48 women are raped every hour by
armed groups.
How do we help civilians dodge the bullets? Rein in the
flow of arms to thugs and tyrants intent on terror and
repression.
The global Arms Trade Treaty won't erase violence. But
over time, it will constrain the indiscriminate export of guns
and ammunition, slow down the ability of human rights
abusers to arm and re-arm themselves and help prevent
human rights abuses.
HeIp make the worId a better pIace today -- sign our
Arms Trade Treaty petition to President Obama today.
Sincerely,
Frank Januzzi
Deputy Executive Director, Head of Washington DC Office
Amnesty nternational USA
P.S. We went bananas yesterday in Times Square -- watch
and share the amazing video we played on billboards in
New York City yesterday for thousands to see!


demand a buIIetproof Arms
Trade Treaty!





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