Propelled by the devastating impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus globally, the SCRAP Weapons team at SOAS University of London is building on the United Nations Secretary General’s call for a Global Ceasefire in all corners of the world. As a complementary measure, we are calling on all States and corporations to FREEZE the production and supply of Weapons.
As the disease causes death, poverty, violence and confrontation, States and corporations must harness their capability to divert military modernization, procurement and operational budgets, as a necessary complementary measure towards the delay, containment and eradication of the COVID-19 coronavirus. We suggest that States and corporations, individually and in cooperation, implement moratoria on weapons production and supply.
Support this initiative by Signing the Declaration, Promoting the Formal Text for Governments, Parliaments and International Organisations and Circulating and using the Background paper
We are calling on Civil Society organisations, Youth Networks, and Non-Governmental Organisations to support the FreezeWeapons initiative by Signing the Declaration in Support of Moratoria on Weapons Production and Supply.
Formal Text for Governments, Parliaments and International Organisations. This proposal can be attractive to ministers and heads of government desperate to re-allocate the much-needed resources which are often trapped in destructive military industrial complexes.
Open letter to civil society organisations, governments, parliaments and international organisations to support a Global Freeze on Weapons Production and Supply
SCRAP Volunteer Anant Saria, highlights why the Freeze Weapons campaign remains important despite the normalisation of Covid-19
The Vatican endorses the #FreezeWeapons initiative
SCRAP has received public support from The Vatican.
Included in The Vatican’s newsletter on 28 April 2020, SCRAP was listed as an example of an initiative promoting the freezing of arms production and supply. The newsletter encourages readers, churches and faith-based groups to promote disarmament by asking states and corporations to reinvest part of the resources currently dedicated to arms production to global food security instead.
In communication with CISD, The Vatican stated that, “The Vatican Task Force on COVID-19 has enthusiastically welcomed SCRAPs’ initiative and intuitions and, it is giving them public relevance, as you can see from the publication of our newsletters on the Dicastery’s website.”
The Vatican has confirmed that they will “keep supporting SCRAP’s impressive work” in future newsletters.
How can you become involved in SCRAP?
SCRAP Weapons proposes timetables and a draft treaty for consideration at the United Nations General Assembly, which takes place in September every year. Support our efforts to have SCRAP Weapons introduced at the UN General Assembly by sending a letter of support to your government.
If you are a student interested in working for SCRAP Weapons, please email us at scrap.weapons@soas.ac.uk