WFSA Current News - July 2002

July 31, 2002

Security emphasis changes in Asia
            ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Nations, is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
            The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is made up of these nations, and, in addition, representatives from 13 other countries: Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia, and the United States of America.
             In meeting to discuss security matters, the ARF focused on the post September 11 al-Qaeda Islamic militants, because it is thought that there are direct links between the terrorists and certain Asian countries of the region, including Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
             Security problems have been irrevocably changed by the attacks, and this fact has brought a new dimension to the region’s safety concerns. It was proposed that a Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering be organized. With regard to arms, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was reaffirmed. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of the UN Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects.

July 31, 2002

Disease in deer causes concern
             Three American hunters who had little contact with each other aside from occasional meetings to share the same game meat have died from diseases of the brain. Some concern is being expressed about whether their deaths could be connected by the food they ingested. Two died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), and the third of another similar, but more common, brain disease.
             Chronic Wasting Disease is not new. It has been known to occur in elk for over thirty years. It currently affects caribou, deer, elk and moose, and causes wasting away of the flesh. It is related to CJD in human beings, and also to Mad Cow Disease, which recently caused havoc in Britain. All three diseases cause death by a breakdown of the brain tissue, which becomes spongiform.
             There is currently no scientific evidence that the disease can be transmitted from animals to humans. However, these deaths in Wisconsin have occurred where Chronic Wasting Disease has been observed.
            Fears have now been voiced that it may eventually come to light that some danger exists across the species, from animal to human, as with Mad Cow Disease. Apart from the obvious severe risk to human health, if a connection is established and hunting is affected, there will be a secondary effect. Any subsequent reduction of hunters’ funds will have a pronounced impact on wildlife conservation.
         
            Note: CJD is caused by rogue proteins known as prions. Information may be found at:  National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center: http://www.cjdsurveillance.com

July 27, 2002

Minister Says: No Further Changes to English Shooting
            The UK Rural Affairs Minister, Alun Michael, has indicated support for shooting. He attended the British Game Fair in Hampshire, Britain’s biggest annual country sport show. He was reported by news.telegraph.co.uk’s Environment Editor, Charles Clover, as "going out of his way" to offer to the shooting community an assurance that no further restrictions are scheduled to befall it.
            Shooting benefits the British economy to the extent of roughly a billion pounds per year. Various groups commented favourably on the Minister’s stance, which seemed to take a supportive view of the different forms of shooting. Mr. Michael likened shooting to boxing, in being a pursuit that requires the learning of discipline. He also said it is better for the young than playing violent video games or watching adult films.
            It is widely believed in the British shooting community that moves to ban fox hunting to hounds are the precursors to further governmental attacks on other field sports, especially game shooting. Mr. Michael is also the governmental official with the responsibility to manage community consultation on fox hunting. "There will be no change over shooting", he is reported to have said.
            An extensive report and further links can be found at: http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml

July 27, 2002

Russian arms exports important to its economy
            A story today released by Clara Ferreira-Marques of Reuters indicates that the sales of military-style arms in Russia are strong and rising. Ranked as the world’s fourth-largest exporter, it expects to sell US$4.2 billion worth of munitions in 2002, with further increases to come in following years.
            The industry is a state-run monopoly, and a spokesman made it clear that the country does not moderate its sales according to any political perceptions or pressures. Selling to overseas countries, including Iran, provides a foundation for the domestic defence industry. No fewer than 1,700 enterprises inside Russia are said to be linked to the Defence Ministry, and in a number of manufacturing areas, including tanks and planes, there is a potentially lucrative market in countries such as China.
            The demise of the Soviet Union has placed Russia under considerable economic pressure.

July 27, 2002

Israeli Criminals Sell Guns to the Enemy
             A number of Israeli residents of Jewish West Bank settlements have been accused of selling arms to the Palestinians. Reported by AAP, the sales are said to have been made despite the fact that as residents they themselves also are subject to attack with these same arms in the long-running current Palestinian rising.
             Military rifles and ammunition have been stolen in substantial lots – the ammunition by the crate – to groups such as the Tanzim militia, accused of carrying out many attacks on Israelis over the last few years.
             Ten suspects are currently in custody. Most of the thefts in general have been attributed to people with ties to the security forces, and, in this week’s case, also to the police force. Gil Kleiman, spokesman for the police, said similar thefts have happened before, but specific details are not available.
             Most of the arms traded are said to have originated from Israeli armouries. Earlier this year, Yasser Arafat had been quoted as saying that importing military arms was unnecessary, seeing they are available from the Israelis. Boaz Ganor is the head of the privately run International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism. He commented that thefts of this sort do not occur for ideological reasons, but simply for the profit motive, and they are the acts of criminals.
             The World Forum continues to hold the position that blanket legislation against firearms is an ineffective way to curb criminal activity.

July 22, 2002

British Trends in Crime
            Britain’s National Crime Intelligence Service (NCIS) in its annual report said that probably seventy tonnes of cocaine and heroin have been smuggled into Britain in the past year. Identifying Jamaicans as being central to the rise in crack cocaine, the NCIS also deplored the growing use of firearms by criminals involved in the drug trade. Not only West African but also Turkish gangs are increasingly using guns.
            The NCIS also cited paedophilia as a steadily increasing problem, exacerbated by the increasing spread of the internet. The NCIS indicated a change in behavioural patterns, with increasing tendencies for criminals to be only loosely linked, able to break and come together again on an occasional basis. The biggest single threat within the UK, however, is said to be the increased use of cocaine.
            It seems noteworthy that such large quantities of banned drugs have been imported despite the best efforts of the police. It would also appear there is an obvious connection that could be made with the continuing failure of anti-gun legislation to achieve its stated aim, the reduction of rates of criminal misuse of firearms.

July 18, 2002

Australian Call to Ban More Pistols
            Australian police ministers met in Australia’s Northern Territory yesterday and discussed illegal gun trafficking. Recent concerns in Australia have related to misuse of handguns by criminals, particularly in Sydney, New South Wales. Australia has gun laws that are among the most stringent in the world. Handgun possession is virtually forbidden to anyone not a bona fide member of a pistol club, and considerable probation is required before membership is granted.
            The National Coalition for Gun Control accused the police ministers of having "put people’s lives at risk" by not banning semi-automatic pistols outright.
            The Sporting Shooters Association said "Licensed owners are not the problem", and pointed out that such a ban would do no more than unfairly single out and punish the legitimate pistol club competitor.
            It is increasingly common for gun-banning groups to divide firearms according to their action styles, and the Australian call ran true to form. The Coalition for Gun Control said that it ought to be top priority for such a ban to be imposed, and the police ministers by not imposing one were being irresponsible.