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Pusat Mediasi Walisongo bukan hanya sebuah lembaga yang bergerak dalam bidang penelitian tentang konflik, pelatihan, dan pengajaran tentang resolusi konflik, tetapi juga merupakan sebuah lembaga yang mengupayakan penyelesaian segala macam bentuk konflik secara damai. Ke­munculan lembaga ini merupakan respon terhadap khususnya situasi yang menyertai ambruknya rezim otoriter Orde Baru dan munculnya rezim yang menyebut dirinya reformasi. Rezim Orde Baru yang berwatak militeristik lebih mengedepankan pendekatan keamanan dalam setiap proses pembangunan. Konsekuensi dari pendekatan ini sering terdapatnya sejumlah pemaksaan yang disertai dengan tindakan-tindakan kekerasan. Demokrasi tidak berjalan. Rakyat menjadi objek daripada subjek pembangunan.

Welcome to the August issue of our newsletter. Which is a bit late because of festivities interruptions.

I would like to congratulate the EDO Decommissioners for their court victory. They show how at times taking bigger risks with our actions can bring important victories to our struggles. This risk though must be well planned if not it can backfire. I would like to thank Smash EDO for contributing to this issue.

Wendela de Vries

After years of lobbying by NGO's, the United Nations decided to start negotiations for a global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The objective of this treaty is to create a legal mechanism to prevent 'unethical' arms trade. Arms should not be exported when there is a serious risk that they might be used in human rights violations, in war crimes, organised crime or terrorism. They should also not be sold to unstable regions, poor countries or corrupt regimes. Reading this, one cannot conclude anything else than that that this treaty is meant to end all arms trade. However, as is well known, international treaties should not be taken too seriously, especially not when they aim at soft goals like respect for peace and human rights. In the first place, clever diplomatic phrasing will leave lots of useful loopholes for a treaty not to be effective. In the second place, if a state does not is not live up to the treaty, there will be no consequenses. Unless, of course, it is a paria state already.

Formerly known as British Aerospace, BAE Systems has grown into one of the world’s largest aviation and weapons companies, with major operations not only in the United Kingdom but also in Australia, South Africa, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and the United States, where it is now one of the Pentagon’s largest contractors. BAE is one of the top producers of armored combat vehicles such as the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (widely used by the U.S.