International Code of Conduct
on
ArmsTransfers
Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney
New York, 29 May 1997Good afternoon! I'm Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney from Georgia. As the sponsor of the Arms Trade Code of Conduct in the United States House of Representatives, I'm very honored to be asked by the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress, and Students for a Free Tibet to serve as a moderator for the Nobel Peace Laureates who have gathered here to support this noble cause.
On behalf of the U.S. movement of no arms to dictators of the Code of Conduct, which will soon have its day on the floor of the House in June, I welcome Nobel Peace Laureates, Dr. Oscar Arias, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Elie Wiesel, Jose Ramos Horta, Betty Williams, and the representatives from the organizations that won the Nobel Peace Prize, American Friends Service committee, Amnesty International, and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.
We've all come here because we want freedom loving people around the world to rally with us and hear us as we say enough is enough! We've had enough of deaths, murders and destruction that rage around the world. We've had enough of tyrants of the world, inflicting despair and misery. More importantly, we've had enough of excuses that certain governments give to persisting the deadliest of weapons trades of those to repressive regimes. The elections of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair were about new definitions. Bill Clinton dashes into the era of New Democrats. Tony Blair introduced the British to a New Labor Party. One thing seems perfectly clear. Blair's Labor Party didn't redefine itself away from its basic core value. Where the Labor party stands firm in supporting the Arms Trade Code of Conduct. I'm now calling on the Clinton White House to not side step the moral issue of selling to repressive regimes around the world...
(interrupted by cheers)
...weapons whose only function is to kill people. Each agreement reached and each license granted by the United States government to the repressive regimes is, in a sense, a license to kill. And unfortunately, because of our silence, too many regimes have been able to use them to do just that.
Both the United States and Britain were stunned by their arms sales to Saddam Hussein. Both the United States and Britain sell their images serried and tarnished before the code of world opinion. Both the United States and Great Britain saw their brightest and the best face the weapons that they supplied to Saddam Hussein when he decided to use them. But the similarity stops there. The British learned from this mistake and now pledges to prevent arms to rapped up scandal to prevent ever happening again. The United States as a world leader can and must do better.
And that is why this assembly here today is so important. From the European Union to the United Nations to the United States Congress and the White House. The message was finally registered that freedom loving people are willing to join together on behalf of the victims of repressive governments. We are expected to lead on this issue. Bill Clinton met with Tony Blair in the New Labor Cabinet today. Let's hope that by the end of this historic visit, the United States and the European Union come together at the United Nations to put an end to the dictators' license to kill.
I now turn the floor over to Dr. Oscar Arias, a former president of Costa Rica, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless and successful efforts against formidable opponents to bring peace based on the principle of democracy and demilitarization. Dr. Arias, I'd like to thank you for your leadership. I fully expect that we'll also succeed this battle against formidable opponents. And we'll soon see the day when the Nobel Peace Laureates' International Code of Conduct is a reality. Then the governments that violate basic human rights and deny their citizens the right to choose their own leaders will find themselves without the tools of control and repression.
If you listen, you'll hear a train coming - a train called history. The group assembled here today can see the train, and we've decided to get on board. Yesterday's solutions are no longer acceptable if we're going to solve the problems of today and tomorrow. As we lift up our vision we lift the world's oppression in the process. I'd also like to take this opportunity to introduce to you the chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Ben Gilman, who is present here, and who is going to make the International Code of Conduct a part of his agenda, I am sure.
We also have with us today Clairborne Pell, who has been a long fighter of justice issues for us. Now I present to you Dr. Arias.
Thank you very much.
(Exerpts are taken from Rep. Cynthia McKinney's (D-GA) speech at the public signing of the Nobel Peace laureates' International Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers. Congresswoman McKinney is the co-sponsor of the United States Arms Transfers Code of Conduct bill in the US Congress.
Transcript courtesy of Globalvision.)
For more information on the International Code of Conduct,
contact Carlos Walker at code@arias.or.cr
