Dirty tricks as Brazilian gun referendum approaches
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Wednesday 19 October 2005
Nelson Mandela’s lawyers furious at abuse of his image by pro-gun lobby
With only a few days to go until Brazil goes to the polls in a radical referendum about banning the sale of guns and ammunition, the pro-gun lobby has appropriated the image of Nelson Mandela and his fight against apartheid to support its arguments that guns should not be controlled in Brazil.
This Sunday, 122 million Brazilians will go to the polls to answer the question: Should the commercial sale of guns and ammunition to civilians be prohibited?
Campaigners for both the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ votes have been given free airtime to promote their views. The image of Mr Mandela appeared in a TV advert for the ‘no’ campaign, linking his fight for freedom to the pro-gun lobby’s argument that people should be allowed to own firearms.
But in South Africa, Mr Mandela has been a firm advocate for gun control, with his face and signature appearing on certificates given to those who handed in their guns during a disarmament campaign in 1994. Lawyers for Mr Mandela have now written to the President of the Parliamentary Front of the pro-gun lobby in Brazil to complain about the abuse of his image in the campaign.
“It is incorrect, improper and illegal to use the reference to Mr Mandela fighting against apartheid, when such struggle bears no relation to the sale of guns,” says the letter.
“The outrageous cooptation of Nelson Mandela’s image in these ads sends a distorted message that Mr. Mandela supports the work of the pro-gun lobby in Brazil,” said Josephine Bourgois, a YES campaigner with the Rio de Janeiro-based NGO Viva Rio. “His lawyers have now set the record straight and, in doing so, have revealed that the wealthy and powerful gun lobby will stop at nothing to keep selling their deadly wares, even deliberately misrepresenting the facts.”
Heather Sutton of Sou da Paz, who is campaigning for a ‘yes’ vote to prohibit the sale of guns, added, “The ‘yes’ campaign is backed by doctors, lawyers, well-known actresses and singers, and public security experts – ten Nobel Peace Prize Laureates recently signed a petition in favor of the measure and activists all over the world rallied for a ‘yes’ vote in cities all over the world. No wonder ‘no’ campaigners are scrabbling to make up supporters.”
Brazil has the highest number of gun deaths in the world, around 38,000 a year – or more than 100 every day. This is a higher rate than in many conflict zones. It is also a significant arms producer. The referendum will be the first time in the world that a nation has put its gun laws to a popular vote.
UK: Anthea Lawson +44 (0)20 7065 0875 or +44 (0)7900 242 869
Brazil: Jessica Galeria +55 21 2555 3750 or +55 21 8128 8808
South Africa: Joseph Dube +27 11 403 4590 or +27 835 888 765
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Wednesday 19 October 2005
Nelson Mandela’s lawyers furious at abuse of his image by pro-gun lobby
With only a few days to go until Brazil goes to the polls in a radical referendum about banning the sale of guns and ammunition, the pro-gun lobby has appropriated the image of Nelson Mandela and his fight against apartheid to support its arguments that guns should not be controlled in Brazil.
This Sunday, 122 million Brazilians will go to the polls to answer the question: Should the commercial sale of guns and ammunition to civilians be prohibited?
Campaigners for both the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ votes have been given free airtime to promote their views. The image of Mr Mandela appeared in a TV advert for the ‘no’ campaign, linking his fight for freedom to the pro-gun lobby’s argument that people should be allowed to own firearms.
But in South Africa, Mr Mandela has been a firm advocate for gun control, with his face and signature appearing on certificates given to those who handed in their guns during a disarmament campaign in 1994. Lawyers for Mr Mandela have now written to the President of the Parliamentary Front of the pro-gun lobby in Brazil to complain about the abuse of his image in the campaign.
“It is incorrect, improper and illegal to use the reference to Mr Mandela fighting against apartheid, when such struggle bears no relation to the sale of guns,” says the letter.
“The outrageous cooptation of Nelson Mandela’s image in these ads sends a distorted message that Mr. Mandela supports the work of the pro-gun lobby in Brazil,” said Josephine Bourgois, a YES campaigner with the Rio de Janeiro-based NGO Viva Rio. “His lawyers have now set the record straight and, in doing so, have revealed that the wealthy and powerful gun lobby will stop at nothing to keep selling their deadly wares, even deliberately misrepresenting the facts.”
Heather Sutton of Sou da Paz, who is campaigning for a ‘yes’ vote to prohibit the sale of guns, added, “The ‘yes’ campaign is backed by doctors, lawyers, well-known actresses and singers, and public security experts – ten Nobel Peace Prize Laureates recently signed a petition in favor of the measure and activists all over the world rallied for a ‘yes’ vote in cities all over the world. No wonder ‘no’ campaigners are scrabbling to make up supporters.”
Brazil has the highest number of gun deaths in the world, around 38,000 a year – or more than 100 every day. This is a higher rate than in many conflict zones. It is also a significant arms producer. The referendum will be the first time in the world that a nation has put its gun laws to a popular vote.
UK: Anthea Lawson +44 (0)20 7065 0875 or +44 (0)7900 242 869
Brazil: Jessica Galeria +55 21 2555 3750 or +55 21 8128 8808
South Africa: Joseph Dube +27 11 403 4590 or +27 835 888 765
