If the Federal Council has its way, Swiss weapons should fire even more bullets. Otherwise, his decision from the summer to deliver to civil war countries is incomprehensible. The Federal Government is bowing to the interests of the Swiss arms industry. The decision was taken without a prior democratic vote in parliament or among the electorate. This must change.
With this decision, the Federal Council indirectly torpedoed our work in the project countries, where we protect young people from violence and are committed to peaceful development. It is therefore clear to us that Switzerland should not contribute to the wounding or even killing of young people in other countries. Even if the Federal Council has revoked its decision after much public criticism, it can always relax the rules again. This must not happen.
This is why we are launching the Corrective Action Initiative together with a broad alliance of relief agencies, church organizations and individuals. It wants to write firm rules on arms exports into the constitution so that the Federal Council cannot decide on arms exports alone.
The constitution should prohibit the supply of arms to countries at war. whether it be against other countries or against their own people. Furthermore, no Swiss weapons should be supplied to countries that grossly violate human rights. This rule was abolished by parliament in 2014.
Once these rules have been laid down in the Constitution, the Swiss electorate can take the referendum to approve any changes and say "no" to further relaxation. Help to make the world a little safer and collect signatures for the initiative.
