The World Forum on The Future of Sport Shooting Activities

WFSA News and Information



April 2006

April 11, 2006

Irish gun amnesty criticized by police

The Irish Gardaí have spoken out against a proposed gun amnesty in Ireland.

A report from Radio Telefís Éireann, Ireland's Public Service broadcaster (Radio Telefís Éireann) has said that at a time when Garda stations are in need of upgrading and increased numbers, the Justice Minister has been informed that an amnesty is not an effective measure in controlling crime.

The President of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, Paschal Feeney, said, "We are not in favour of the proposed gun amnesty because we see it as having limited value. Hardened criminals are not likely to give up their guns as easily as that."

No independent studies have ever been able to demonstrate diminished crime rates subsequent to gun amnesties.



April 7, 2006

Ugandan gun seizures

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has released a report out of Kampala on a new effort by the Ugandan army to take back arms held by ethnic Karamajong pastoralists in the northeastern region.

Cattle theft has long been rife among different ethnic groups, the Karamajong, the Pokot and the Turkana of Kenya and the Toposa of Sudan. Ugandan pastoralists were previously permitted to own arms to defend themselves against marauders.

A recent joint paper from Oxfam, Amnesty International and the International Action Network on Small Arms criticized the failure of no fewer than thirteen UN arms embargoes in stopping the flow of illegal arms to the region, over porous borders and through inefficient customs.

There have been gun confiscation programs carried out in Uganda previously, and these were criticized by churches and human rights groups, which accused the army of brutality in the process.



April 5, 2006

Canadian unrest over continuing with gun registry

A number of news articles have explored concerns surrounding the Canadian gun registry. The new Conservative government is now faced with the task of bringing the longarm registry to an end after its history of ineffectiveness in diminishing gun crime. The Canadian Professional Police Association continues to support the registry, but information coming out through the office of Canadian MP Garry Breitkreuz suggests that experienced police opinion on the value of the registry is at the very best divided ( http://www.garrybreitkreuz.com/publications/policequotes.htm).

The Minister for Justice, Vic Toews, has gone on the record saying that the government will need to follow through on its pre-election promises and end the system. The registry, which was originally estimated to be going to cost $2 million, has according to some estimates cost one thousand times that figure, at $2 billion, for no demonstrated benefit in lowering crime rates. The Minister called it a "dismal failure, a waste of taxpayers' money and a waste of peace officers' time".

Conservative MP Gerry Ritz has made public statements to the effect that the new government under Stephen Harper maintains its intention to do away with the registry. He cited, however, administrative difficulties surrounding the layered structure of the system (http://www.meridianbooster.com/story.php?id=222376), maintaining that its dismantling will not be quick. He agreed there is considerable unrest among firearm owners who are calling for the process to be speeded up, and to have the funds redirected into active policing.


April 4, 2006

Jamaican gun requirements cause confusion

Jamaica since April 1, 2006, has gone over to a civilian-managed Central Firearm Licensing Authority (CFLA). Most of the world's gun registries are organized around police services. The new authority was set up because of longstanding allegations of corruption within the existing system, where licences were said to be granted to people unfitted to own firearms legally. The new system was intended to increase integrity in the licensing process.

The Jamaica Observer has reported that much confusion has resulted from the introduction of the changes, and police offices across Jamaica have been swamped by people attempting to have their gun permits renewed.

Under the new system, gun owners need to have their identity verified, present proof of age, a photocopy of birth certificate or passport, and other documentation including recent photographs.

As recently as 2005, audits were being conducted to increase the effectiveness of the existing procedures, but the Police Commissioner of the time left office complaining he had been unsuccessful in isolating offenders who were breaking the existing gun laws.


April 28, 2006

Handgun competition still impossible in UK

CNSNews.com has run an article on the continuing difficulties faced by intending pistol sport shooting competitors in Britain. With a complete prohibition on all handguns, sporting competitors as a group have been effectively legislated out of existence within the United Kingdom.

With a few high-level British shooters nevertheless preparing to compete in the 2008 Olympics, they are able to practise with only air guns at home. The Labor Party's Kate Hoey has now been quoted as saying that within weeks she expects to hear whether changes to the law will be countenanced.

The article says that during the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the total ban was temporarily lifted, but competing shooters at the time were under constant surveillance by armed police.

It has been suggested that the British government may in time grant exemptions to elite sports shooters, but of course this makes it impossible for people to enter the sport at a local level and learn it.