WFSA Current News - April, 2005

April 29, 2005

Philippines and war-time guns
          An article in yesterday’s Manila Bulletin, with the byline of Romeo V. Pefianco, makes some observations about the right to own firearms lawfully in the Philippines.
            There are two levels of application for a handgun licence from the Firearms and Explosives Division. The first gives the right to own a handgun for home defence, and this requires 12 documents and clearances. The second level, permitting concealed carry of a sidearm, requires a total of 22.
            The article recognizes, however, that there are most likely more illegal arms in the hands of criminals than there are of those held under licence. It also points out that arms including handguns were dumped into many provinces by the tens of thousands during World War Two for use by the locals in their own defence. These were officially called up at the end of the war, but of course, as has always been the way, the numbers that were not surrendered are unknown and beyond estimation. Some have certainly found their way into criminal hands. The article very sensibly asks a rhetorical question: if a gun ban is brought into the nation, how will it be enforced if the holders of the guns are “enemies of society who conceal their weapons”?
            This ought to be asked more often. It applies everywhere gun amnesties are held, and in countries where bans are passed against the legitimate owners of firearms on the unsupported grounds that this will somehow translate into a drop in crime.

April 25, 2005

Arab states on arms control
            It was reported by Newswire yesterday that a SALW Symposium was organized by the United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs and hosted by the Government of Algeria on April 11-13.
            In attendance were representatives from eighteen Arab States, Japan, several African and European countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation, and also representatives of non-governmental organizations. The subject was implementation by Arab States of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.
            The Algerian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Abdelaziz Belkhadem, said the problem of illicit small arms must tackled by all states. He said the SALW Programme of Action should be considered to be a starting point and not an end result of “the international combat against the scourge of illicit small arms”.
            The report said there was agreement among participants that no state could fight the problem alone, regardless of the number of national measures in place. Participants were also said to have concluded that civil society has a role in the implementation of the Programme of Action.

April 23, 2005

Call for total gun ban in Papua New Guinea
            The annual conference of Catholic bishops in Papua New Guinea has called for a total ban on all civilian gun ownership.
            Citing community feeling from especially teachers and health workers, the conference asked for a three-month amnesty for the surrender of all privately-owned firearms, followed by complete prohibition. It also called for a ban on the employment of armed security guards, saying that only that the defence forces, police and prison services should be allowed to have guns.
            No mention was reported of any recognized legitimate uses, such as hunting.

April 20, 2005

China endorses UN role in managing SALW
            In an article yesterday released through the Xinhua News Agency, is reported to have introduced strengthened measures against the illegal manufacture and export of small arms. This was announced at a Small Arms and Light Weapons conference.
            A senior official speaking for the Foreign Ministry, Qiao Zonghuai, said that China is throwing its weight behind multilateral efforts to crack down on the illegal arms trade.
           The three-day workshop on SALW in Beijing drew representatives from thirty nations.


April 14, 2005

Gun thefts in The Netherlands
            Another incident involving the perennial problem of theft from official gun repositories has been reported by Expatica News, the Dutch news outlet for expatriates.
            The exact number of 9mm handguns stolen is unknown, but it is believed to be three figures. Site of the theft was the Gilze-Rijen airbase, said to be high-security, and the method of theft was to cut a hole in the wall.
            The article cited previous similar thefts, including one single occasion on which 300 machine pistols were the prize, and said the stolen arms ended up in criminal hands both inside and outside the country.
            Arsenals have always been favoured targets of organized crime, and the firearms so gathered up enter the illegal arms pool and supply criminal activity for many years. In those places where gun laws have long been very restrictive, governments usually keep their own law-enforcement and armed forces' guns in central armouries, which then inevitably become targets to supply the illegal market. Gun laws in The Netherlands have long been very strict, but clearly such laws hold no sway among determined criminals.


April 13, 2005

New Zealand gun law changes
         The bill, he said, “…incorporates provisions that will be required if New Zealand is to sign up to the international Firearms Protocol, which is consistent with this country's stand against trans-national organized crime, gun-running and terrorism."
            Part One of the Bill tightens the rules surrounding dealers' licences, the import of firearms and ammunition, the safe storage of guns and the temporary suspension of a firearms licence when police are considering revoking that licence. Part Two defines a number of new criminal offences, including manufacturing firearms for sale, hire or supply in the course of business without a licence, wearing or carrying body armour for illegal purposes and altering or removing the identifying marks on a firearm for an improper reason.
            The Minister expressly made the point: "The Bill is not designed to impose a universal firearms registration system on gun-owners. Rather, its provisions will help ensure that New Zealand has effective control systems and record keeping for the export, import and manufacture of firearms.”
            The difficulty faced by Canada in the continuing attempts to make the gun registry work there has undoubtedly figured in this decision.

April 10, 2005

Malaysia and Thailand confer on arms smuggling
            The Malaysian and Thai police forces have together run a fourteen-day course on the laws relating to arms smuggling. Regional trends were also discussed.
            The Malaysian Inspector-General of Police, Mohd Bakri, said that illegally-circulating small arms are the choice of criminals and terrorists, and they add a degree of insecurity to many countries.
            He went on to say that the complexity of the problem is such that it requires co-operation between governments, organizational groups and the greater society. He also spoke in favour of “applying laws and regulations on the strict control of weapons and ammunition”.

April 4, 2005

South African gun ‘amnesty’ extended
            The gun ‘amnesty’ running in South Africa was intended to finish at the end of March, but has been extended for another three months. The new deadline is June 30.
            The country is estimated to have up to four million illegal arms currently in circulation, and 18,668 have been handed in so far.
            The same puzzling requirement reported previously still pertains. All surrendered guns have to  to be submitted to ballistic testing, so the owners, whose names and addresses are recorded, can be prosecuted if the guns can be matched with those used in crimes. This obviously has a heavy influence on the kinds of guns that will be handed in. Trevor Bloem, spokesman for the Ministry of Safety and Security, has said that he recognizes this feature of the ‘amnesty’ may put off some people from surrendering guns.
            The South African Gunowners Association spokesman has criticized the program as not being an amnesty at all, because it offers no immunity from prosecution.
            A large proportion of the guns being handed in have been legally owned. A further large proportion are relics and heirlooms which the owners are no longer prepared to try to keep. The application form alone for a licence consists of some seventy pages of documentation.

April 1, 2005

US mother refuses to return school library book
            A book on gun collecting has so angered a New Jersey woman that she has refused to let her fifth-grade son return it to the school library from which he borrowed it.
            The mother, Robin Barroso, said that she feared the book, Guns of the World: The Complete Collectors and Traders Guide, published in 1977, might incite a child to seek out guns to perform a schoolyard shooting.
            The principal and the local school superintendent defended the placement of the book in the school library for its historic and educational value. The principal said he wants the book to be brought back, and is quoted as saying: "The expectation of the school is any public property lent out would be returned.” http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/articles/news3-Gunbook.htm