IANSA Update 23.09.10

* German gun owner goes on trial in Winnenden
* Canada: Vote result on Long Gun Registry
* 21 September International Day of Peace
* USA: Armed domestic violence
* Brazil: Disarming the Mind
* Other news: IANSA reforms and the recruitment of a new Director

Last week in Germany, Joerg Kretschmer, the father of a teenager who shot dead 15 people and then himself on 11 March 2009 at Albertville Secondary School in Winnenden, went on trial. He is accused of violating German gun laws by failing to properly secure and store his 9mm Beretta pistol, the gun used by his son. Following the school shooting, the German government introduced an amnesty for illegally held weapons, and over 200,000 guns were handed in. The trial is expected to last 27 days.
www.iansa.org

On 22 September, Members of parliament in Canada voted 153 to 151 to defeat Bill C-391 that would have ended the country's mandatory registry for rifles and shotguns. This means that Canadians must continue to report ownership of weapons to the firearms registry, ensuring that data remains accessible to law-enforcement authorities. "I think many of us will be relieved for a couple of days, but we have a prime minister who has said he is committed to dismantling the registry, we have opposition parties talking about measures they plan to introduce. We won't rest", said Wendy Cukier, President of the Coalition for Gun Control at a press conference following the vote.
http://www.guncontrol.ca/English/Home/C391/C391.htm

The IANSA network once again demonstrated its energy and commitment by joining others around the world to mark the International Day of Peace (IDP) on 21 September, a global call for ceasefire and non-violence. This year is also the African Union's Year of Peace and Security in Africa and the UN International Year of Youth. This year's IDP also coincided with the launch of The African Decade for Women, from 2010-2020.
http://www.iansa.org/whats-new/idp2010.htm

In the USA, black females murdered by men are most often killed with a gun, almost always by someone they know according to the new Violence Policy Center (VPC) report. 'When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2008 Homicide Data' details national and state-by-state information from the USA on female homicides involving one female murder victim and one male offender. Firearms - especially handguns - were the most common weapon used. "These findings alarmingly demonstrate how domestic violence can escalate to homicide. More resources need to be made available to protect women and prevent such tragedies", said Kristen Rand, VPC Legislative Director.
http://www.vpc.org/studies/wmmw2010.pdf

In Brazil, Instituto Sou da Paz is selecting two projects by young people to 'Disarm the Mind' with a focus on gun control and alternatives to armed violence. "Armed violence kills each year more than 34 000 people in Brazil. The spread of the culture of armed violence is still great. Homicides, suicides and accidents happen every day with guns", says Alice Andres Ribeiro, Project Coordinator. "So we are looking for ideas to help raise awareness of the importance of the topic in a lively, interesting and dynamic way", she added.
http://www.soudapaz.org/Default.aspx?alias=www.soudapaz.org/jovememacao

Other news:

As you may know, we are entering an exciting phase of reforms which will change the way IANSA works and how members are involved in decision making to further strengthen and build our movement. All of the reform documents and details of the process are on the IANSA website at: http://www.iansa.org/iansa_restructure_docs.htm

The deadline for nominations to the new IANSA Board is 30 September. The current Board will select new Board members by 31 October 2010.

We have started the process of contacting each of you to establish your new membership status according to the new Membership Categories and Criteria.

We are also planning to change the IANSA website and need your feedback. We would like the new site to reflect your needs. Please write to us at Ranveig.Svenning@iansa.org to tell us if there is any particular part of it that you currently use and would like us to keep.

We are recruiting a new Director to provide strategic and dynamic leadership to the network from the London-based Secretariat. Closing date for applications: 18 October 2010
http://www.iansa.org/jobs/documents/iansa_director_JD_2010.pdf

Please send your news and stories for the Update to ranveig.svenning@iansa.org