David Grimason, whose son was killed by gunman in Turkey welcomes global treaty to regulate international arms trade

David Grimason travelled to New York last week to lobby the UN to tighten up international arms trade

Oxfam/PA

A Scots dad whose toddler son was killed by a gunman with an illegal weapon has welcomed the first global treaty to regulate the international arms trade.

David Grimason, who lost his two-year-old son Alistair in 2003, was present at the Arms Trade Treaty talks at the United Nations in New York when the treaty was approved.

He has been campaigning for tighter controls on the trade of weapons since his son was killed during a gunfight at a cafe in the seaside village of Foca, Turkey, almost a decade ago, in July 2003.

The toddler was asleep in his pram when an argument broke out at a nearby table and a man opened fire, killing the boy from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.

Mr Grimason said: “It’s been an emotional day for me. It’s an overwhelming majority of nations that have recognised the need for an Arms Trade Treaty. The world recognised it was needed. We overcame the sceptics today and by such an amazing majority, it’s just incredible.

“As someone who is living with the effects of gun violence, I realise the necessity for a Treaty that will restrict the flow of weapons and stop them getting into the hands of people that are going to abuse them. So for me, I recognise how much of a victory it is for humankind.

“This treaty will have a legacy and that will be a future where restricting the movement of illegal arms and guns will save lives and will prevent others from suffering violence and terror.”

Mr Grimason, who now lives in Aberdeen, was in New York as part of his work with Oxfam, which is a leading member of the Control Arms Coalition.

Alistair Grimason

More than 100 civil society groups working in 120 countries are represented by the Control Arms Coalition which is urging all states to sign and ratify the treaty.

Anna MacDonald, Oxfam’s head of Arms Control, described the outcome in New York as an “incredible moment”.

She said: “The agreement of the Arms Trade Treaty sends a clear message to arms dealers who supply war lords and dictators that their time is up. They will no longer be able to operate and arm themselves with impunity. The world will be watching and will hold them accountable.”

Last week there was a setback as Syria, Iran and North Korea refused to ratify the treaty and delayed progress towards enshrining a set of rules to regulate the global arms trade in international law.

“It is right that after consensus was blocked, states moved swiftly to adopt the treaty by voting. It is right that the will of the majority wins out, not the tiny minority of sceptics who were intent on wrecking the process,” said Ms MacDonald.

“From the streets of Latin America, to the camps in eastern Congo, to the valleys of Afghanistan, communities living in fear of attacks because of the unregulated arms trade can now hope for a safer future. The world will be a more secure place to live in once the Treaty is in place,” she added.

Alex Galvez, a survivor of armed violence and executive director of the Transitions Foundation of Guatemala, said: “This is a good day for armed violence survivors everywhere, and a proud day for the Control Arms Campaign. But the work doesn’t stop here. We have to make sure that this treaty actually makes a difference on the ground. States must move to ratify the ATT now, and make its swift implementation a top priority.”

via David Grimason, whose son was killed by gunman in Turkey welcomes global treaty to regulate international arms trade – Daily Record.