With this shaThe South Asia Small Arms Network (SASA NET) is a civil society network on small arms problems in South Asia. It aims to bring organizations and activists from different parts of the region to lobby policy makers, build public awareness and share information on small arms and light weapons.

SASA-Net took shape during the Civil Society Strategy Meeting on Small Arms and Light Weapons held on June 7-9 in Negombo, Sri Lanka. Organized by SAP Canada and SAP-I, the meeting was attended by representatives from all over South Asia and by international experts on the issue.

This was the last of five regional seminars held in five different South Asian countries. These seminars were the first formal series of dialogues between government and civil society representatives on the issue of small arms and light weapons.

It was at the conclusion of the Strategy Meeting that SASA-Net was launched and the Colombo Declaration was issued. The Declaration outlined the need to stem the flow of small arms. This meeting was an important preparatory step to the then upcoming UN Conference on the same issue held from July 9-20, 2001 in New York.