Congo (DRC)
Congo Buyback Collects 3,000 Guns, Mainly from Women: Many Stolen?
IRIN (UN News)
15 Dec 2008
KINSHASA -- Hundreds of people in Kinshasa have handed over illegal weapons for cash and cloth in a no-questions-asked campaign to reduce crime in the Democratic Republic of Congo. AK-47 automatic rifles, Uzi sub-machine guns and rocket launchers were among the 3,000 or so weapons collected over the past three weeks by the Ecumenical Programme for Peace, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (PAREC), an NGO. Those in working order were handed over to the police, the rest were destroyed. "There have been several hold-ups and attempted murders carried out by armed men in Kinshasa recently and several arms caches have been discovered," said PAREC... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenya Launches National Gun Marking Scheme to Curb Theft, Trafficking
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
15 Dec 2008
Kenya is set to be among the first countries in the region to launch its gun marking exercise in line with the requirements of the Nairobi protocol on prevention, control and reduction of small arms. The exercise planned to kick off on Tuesday, follows the acquisition of an electronic marking machine from the regional center on small arms. The country has over the years been a victim of crimes resulting from proliferated firearms from neighboring countries. The gadget with a capacity to mark 1500 guns a day will mark all legitimate guns in the country and store in a database the information on the manufacturing company, serial number, the importing... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Pittsburgh Mayor Refuses to Sign 'Unenforceable' Gun Control Bill
Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh)
15 Dec 2008
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl allowed a city gun control bill to become law today without giving it his signature. In a letter to council Mr. Ravenstahl said the bill will be unenforceable and preempted by state law, but he supports other efforts to stem stolen gun trafficking. On Dec. 2, city Council voted 6-1 to approve legislation giving gun owners 24 hours to call police after they learn a firearm is missing. They would face a $500 fine if they do not report it, plus a $1,000 fine and possible prison time for a second non-report. The bill is intended to deter straw purchasers from selling guns to criminals. When guns are traced back to them from... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Premier to Consider Tightening Gun Laws in Australia's Largest State
Sydney Morning Herald
15 Dec 2008
The State Government has commissioned a report into gun crime six months after backing Shooters' Party amendments that watered down gun ownership laws. The Premier, Nathan Rees, sought to temper the Government's stance on the issue yesterday, saying he would review the amendments this week when the report was handed down by the Attorney-General's department. But even as Mr Rees delivered his comments, the Police Minister, Tony Kelly, held a media conference defending the changes, labelling them as sensible and commonsense despite opposition from the Police Association, the Opposition and gun control lobbyists. Gun owners must undergo a mandatory... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Election Defeat Showed Gun Lobby To Be 'More Pussycat Than Tiger'
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Column
15 Dec 2008
The vaunted National Rifle Association and the rest of the gun lobby -- for years presumed deadly to any politician who dared to buck them -- were firing blanks in the recent election. Lobby-promoted candidates generally fared poorly. Candidates who support firearms controls that most people consider sensible were not routed, not even where typically hysterical campaigns were run against them. At least for this election cycle, the single-issue, guns-are-everything voter -- the source of the lobby's political intimidation -- turned out to be more pussycat than tiger. Might the way finally lie clear for the political system to engage pragmatically... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Iraq
US to Ship Another 105,000 Assault Rifles to Iraq to 'Replace' AK-47s
Defense Industry Daily (USA)
15 Dec 2008
In March 2008, "Iraq's Military Requesting $1.39B in Weapons, Vehicles, and Equipment" discussed that country's decisive shift to the M-16/M4 family of weapons for its soldiers. Previous DSCA purchase requests in October 2007 and September 2006 has also included the rifles, but by February 2008, it became clear that this was a full replacement program for the AK-derivative 7.62mm designs that had become so ubiquitous in that part of the world. The latest official purchase request announced [PDF] by the US DSCA continues this trend, as Iraq seeks to buy up to $148 million worth of small arms to equip its growing forces. Iraq's request includes 80,000 M16A4 5.56mm... ( gunpolicy.org )
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