Ireland,United Kingdom
Report Details Last Acts of Gun Surrender, Destruction in Northern Ireland
Associated Press
3 March 2010
DUBLIN, Ireland - The governments of Ireland and Britain praised their disarmament commission Wednesday and published its final achievements in removing weapons from Northern Ireland's underground armies. Both governments in 1997 asked Canadian Gen. John de Chastelain to persuade a half-dozen militant factions to surrender their hidden arsenals. That mission finally ended last month with a flurry of weapons moves. Wednesday's... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Peaceful Disarmament 'Failed,' Uganda Army Goes for Karimojong Guns
New Vision (Kampala)
28 February 2010
KAMPALA, Uganda -- Karimojong warriors who do not voluntarily surrender their guns risk being court-martialled, the Government has warned. Information minister Kabakumba Masiko said about 70 warriors who refused to surrender their guns had been tried in the Court Martial. "The rustlers will be dealt with firmly and decisively and cattle rustling will be a thing of the past," she told a media briefing at the Kampala Media... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
66,000 Guns Destroyed in Uganda's 3-year Firearm Seizure Campaign
New Vision (Kampala)
21 February 2010
KAMPALA -- The Uganda National Focal Point (NFP) on small arms and light weapons has destroyed ammunition in an effort to combat the increase of small arms in the country. Among those destroyed were 300 explosives, 800 grenade canisters, 38 boxes of gun powder, 15 boxes of propellant charges, 100 tear gas canisters, 4,000 small ammunitions and 1,500 artillery rounds, some dating back to 1963. The arms were destroyed recently... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia & Herzegovina Civilians Among 'Most Armed in the World'
SEESAC / Politika (Belgrade)
14 February 2010
SARAJEVO, Bosnia & Herzegovina -- According to the official information, at present 19% of BiH citizens are legally "armed", and 15% civilians are illegally armed. A survey conducted by UNDP in the past confirmed that there is around half a million of weapons in illegal civilian possession and that they are often used in incidents many of which have a fatal outcome, which is proved by the fact that "from the end of the war to 2003 in BiH... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ireland,United Kingdom
IRA Factions Surrender Their Guns for Destruction in N Ireland Amnesty
Associated Press
8 February 2010
DUBLIN -- A ruthless IRA splinter group, the Irish National Liberation Army, declared Monday it had fully disarmed but offered no regrets for committing some of the worst atrocities of the Northern Ireland conflict. "We make no apology for our part in the conflict," said INLA spokesman Martin McMonagle, who spent seven years in prison for plotting to plant bombs in England and assassinate Northern Ireland's senior Protestant politicians.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Argentina
Argentina Gun Buyback 'Wildly Successful,' 102,000 Firearms Destroyed
Inter Press Service News Agency
3 February 2010
BUENOS AIRES - As a disarmament campaign launched 17 months ago in Argentina nears its end, the government and civil society groups involved in the initiative announced that it has far exceeded even the most optimistic projections, despite the lack of publicity. The Interior Ministry reported that the programme, in which people voluntarily swap their firearms for cash, has so far collected over 102,000 guns and 721,000 munitions,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Bronx Destroys Thousands of Guns, Spends $1 Million in Gun Buybacks
New York Daily News
27 January 2010
Cash-strapped people packing guns walked into four Bronx churches last weekend - and were paid for it. Nearly 1,200 guns - handguns, semi-automatic weapons and sawed-off shotguns - were swapped for $200 each on Saturday as part of the latest joint NYPD/Bronx District Attorney's office gun buyback program. Citywide, law enforcement officials have taken 5,700 guns off the streets since 2008. "We'll never know, but... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mozambique
Mozambique Churches Collected, Destroyed 700,000 Guns Since 1995
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
26 January 2010
MAPUTO -- Under its project "Transforming Guns into Hoes" (TAE), the Christian Council of Mozambique (CCM), the umbrella body for the mainstream protestant churches in the country, has, since 1995, collected and destroyed 700,000 guns held illegally, according to the CCM general secretary, Marcos Macamo, interviewed in Tuesday's issue of the independent daily "O Pais". TAE involves offering people holding illegal weapons useful... ( gunpolicy.org )
Taiwan
Taiwan Threatens to Sue Client Countries Re-exporting Its Ammunition
Taiwan News / CNA
20 January 2010
TAIPEI -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) will sue contractors if they have resold expired ammunition owned by Taiwan to an African country as has been reported, an official said Wednesday. "We have a detailed and sophisticated plan to oversee contracts on the destruction of outdated ammunition, " said Wang Kuo-wu, director of the military procurement center under the MND Armaments Bureau. "In terms of form and documentation,... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Police Destroy Another 80,611 Guns in South African Firearm Amnesty
South African Press Association
15 January 2010
JOHANNESBURG - Gun control campaigners welcomed the destruction of 80 611 guns by the SA Police Service on Friday. The weapons thrown into the furnace included guns recovered through the ongoing nationwide firearm amnesty, as well as obsolete police weapons and guns previously recovered by police from crime scenes. IANSA (International Action Network on Small Arms) Africa said the destruction sent a positive signal to South... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Illegal Guns Seized Frequently as Australian Police Turn Up Heat on Gangs
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
30 December 2009
Hundreds of illegal guns have been seized in Australia recently in a police crackdown on organised criminal groups such as bikie gangs. The confiscated guns range from rifles to pistols. Just where are the guns coming from? Police can't say for sure but there are several likely sources. Brendan Trembath prepared this report. BRENDAN TREMBATH: Police wrap up a raid in the New South Wales southern highlands. Twenty-five... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
LA County Police Gun Buyback Nets 5,334 Weapons, 144 Assault Rifles
Los Angeles Times
30 December 2009
L.A. County's gun exchange program collected 5,337 weapons in 2009, including 144 assault-style rifles. The Sheriff's Department, along with supporters of the Gifts for Guns program, handed out more than $428,100 in gift cards throughout the year at supermarket parking lots around the county in exchange for the guns. "I tell the deputies if it is a gun that could harm one of our deputies, then it is a gun we want off the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
3000 Firearms to be Destroyed after Northumbria Arms Seizures
The Journal (UK)
28 December 2009
MACHINE guns, rifles and shotguns are among nearly 3,000 firearms taken off the streets of the North East in the past two years, The Journal can reveal today. The weapons are now set to be destroyed. Northumbria Police and Durham Constabulary released details of all firearms confiscated since September 2007 under the Freedom of Information Act. They include examples of the British Army's standard SA-80 assault rifle and... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Police Urge Safe Storage, Gun Owners Protest Destruction in South Africa
SABC News / SAPA
20 December 2009
People who own firearms and have a valid claim to them are set to start making presentations to National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele explaining why they should not be destroyed. According to a notice in the Government Gazette published on December 14, the State intends destroying all firearms and ammunition voluntarily surrendered or forfeited. Cele says the presentations should be made within 21 days after the publication of... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Massachusetts Gun Buyback Swaps 122 Weapons for Walmart Vouchers
Telegram & Gazette (Massachusetts)
13 December 2009
Organizers of the Goods for Guns program said they took in 122 unwanted firearms and gave out about $5,800 worth of Walmart gift certificates during yesterday's initial phase of the annual two-day event. The program allows people to anonymously exchange working, unloaded firearms for gift certificates and has collected and destroyed 1,620 guns since 2002. Dr. Michael P. Hirsh, director of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Army Destroys Seized, Home-made Guns in Philippine Ceremony
Iloilo News (Philippines)
7 December 2009
A total of fifty firearms were destroyed following a ceremonial cutting and destruction of guns at the 6th Service Support Unit (FSSU) of the Philippine Army's Support Command in Camp Delgado, Iloilo City Friday afternoon. The rites formed part of the demilitarization under the Philippine Army's Captured, Confiscated, Recovered and Surrendered Firearms (CCRS) program. The fifty assorted firearms, mostly high-powered "paltik,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
South America,Central America
Latin America Plagued by Glut of Guns, Homicide, Armed Crime: Report
United Press International
11 November 2009
GENEVA -- Latin America faces an unrelenting onslaught on its citizens by a glut of small arms, responsible for thousands of homicides every year by gangs, organized crime and vigilantes. Small-arms stockpiles that have permeated Central and South American societies are now an extremely serious threat because of the fatalities they cause in a region that has not had any major conflict since the 19th century, the author of a major... ( gunpolicy.org )
Venezuela
Venezuela Destroys 30,000 Guns, Suffers 152 Homicides per Week
Associated Press
11 November 2009
CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan authorities have destroyed more than 30,000 illegal firearms as part of an effort to combat soaring crime. The government plans to sell the demolished guns as scrap metal and donate the proceeds to a foundation that cares for children suffering from cancer. Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami says workers used blow torches to destroy the weapons Wednesday. He says the initiative will further... ( gunpolicy.org )
Venezuela
Venezuela Destroys 32,477 Guns Seized by Security Forces [Espanol]
El Universal (Caracas)
11 November 2009
[Translated Summary: Venezuela has destroyed 32,000 guns seized in crime, a third of them home-made. There are an estimated 6 million guns in a population of 28 million]. CARACAS -- Las autoridades nacionales destruyeron hoy 32.477 armas de fuego decomisadas por los diferentes cuerpos de seguridad del Estado en diferentes operaciones. El acto de destrucción, al que asistió el ministro del Interior, Tarek El Aissami, tuvo... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi,Kenya,Rwanda,Uganda,Tanzania,East Africa
We Must Eliminate the Menace of Illegal Guns in East Africa
Observer (Kampala), Opinion
11 November 2009
During the ceremonies to mark the 10th anniversary of the re-birth of the East African Community, 3,500 small arms were destroyed in a gesture of fighting the menace of illicit small arms and light weapons.The symbolic destruction of the unlicensed weapons fed into the theme of the anniversary celebrations, which was: 'Peace and security for stability and development.' Realising the magnitude of the menace of small arms in illegal... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bangladesh,South Asia
Guns Seized in Bangladesh 'Just Come Back' if Not Destroyed: Minister
New Nation (Dhaka) / BSS
9 November 2009
DHAKA -- Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Sunday strongly suggested destroying all illegal arms for ensuring security and peace in the country. The Finance Minister said this while inaugurating a two-day regional seminar on small arms control in the city. He criticised candidly the practice of keeping all illegal arms and ammunition intact after capturing those from smugglers, illigaly arms traders and miscreants.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Central Africa,East Africa,Kenya,Rwanda,Somalia,Sudan,Uganda,Burundi,Congo (DRC)
Small Arms Control Group Decries 'Huge' Proliferation of Guns in Africa
Xinhua
3 November 2009
NAIROBI -- The Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA) has decried the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes region, Horn of Africa and bordering states. RECSA Executive Secretary Francis Sang noted that the center was working in collaboration with the UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa to promote disarmament. To address this problem, he said, the governments should support the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi
More Than 10,000 Guns Surrendered for Destruction in Burundi Amnesty
Agence France Presse
28 October 2009
BUJUMBURA -- A Burundian disarmament taskforce said Wednesday it had received more than 70,000 arms surrendered by civilians over the past two years in war-wracked country. Dozens of others queued up to surrender their weapons, which included guns and grenades, as a midnight Wednesday deadline to voluntarily do so neared. "We are very satisfied with the work achieved since 2007. Today, on the last day for civilians to voluntarily... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Seized, Surplus Guns Recycled Into Farming Tools by Phillipines Police
Philippine Daily Inquirer
20 October 2009
MANILA, Philippines -- Some 700 old and unserviceable firearms were burned at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame on Monday to be recycled into farming tools and implements. These 700 firearms, said PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina, consisted of rifles, shotguns and handguns that were confiscated from criminal groups. Some of these firearms were also unserviceable government-owned firearms.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
South Australian 'Police Computer' Counted Non-existent Handguns
Advertiser (Adelaide)
20 October 2009
A SA Police computer program counted firearms which had been destroyed, causing incorrect data on registered handguns to be made public, it has emerged. It was reported today that there were 41,519 registered handguns in South Australia, but it has now been revealed that this figure was based on wrong information given by SA Police to the Australian Institute of Criminology. AdelaideNow has been told that more than 20,000... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Government Must Do More to Seize, Destroy Illicit Guns in Uganda
Monitor (Kampala), Editorial
7 October 2009
President Yoweri Museveni on Monday torched a huge pyre of 3,500 illegal guns at the opening of the East African Peace and Security conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo. This is not the first time that thousands of such small firearms are being destroyed. In 2006, a total of 57,000 guns and small arms were smelted at the Steel Rolling Mills in Jinja. Only a year earlier, the government had destroyed 3,000 guns at Nsambya Primary... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia
Police Destroy 17,000 Confiscated, Surplus Firearms in Belgrade
B92 Radio (Belgrade)
3 October 2009
BELGRADE -- Serbian police (MUP) today destroyed 17,000 light weapons and small caliber arms in the Recycling Center in the Belgrade suburb of eleznik. "Most of these arms are illegal and were seized in police raids, while a part was made obsolete at the MUP," Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told reporters today. The weapons collected and destroyed include pistols, revolvers, carbines, hunting rifles, air weapons, and other... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British Policemen Charged with Stealing Guns Handed In for Destruction
BBC News
10 September 2009
Two Durham police officers have been charged following an investigation into the alleged sale of guns which had been handed in for disposal. Pcs Maurice Allen, 47, and Damien Cobain, 41, are charged with misconduct in public office. Pc Allen is also charged with 16 counts of theft. The investigation into the officers began in February following a firearms theft at a farmhouse in north Durham. The pair are due to... ( gunpolicy.org )
South America, Central America
Latin America: 'The More Guns, the More Violence,' UN Conference Told
Inter Press Service News Agency
10 September 2009
MEXICO CITY -- Traffic in light weapons and small arms is one of Latin America's major disarmament concerns, because they fuel urban violence, especially in countries like Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil. This is one of the issues on the agenda of the 62nd Annual Conference for Non-Governmental Organisations associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI/NGO), attended by 1,700 delegates from 75 countries... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
90yr-old US Man Gets Funeral Wish: Buried in Pontiac with All His Guns
WLTX-TV News (South Carolina)
9 September 2009
SALUDA, South Carolina -- A Saluda man got his final wish Tuesday, as he was buried in his car with all his guns. Lonnie Holloway died Thursday, September 3 after 90 years and friends say he always talked about how he wanted to be buried in his 1973 Catalina. Tuesday, Holloway got his final wish. The man was buried in his car after a service at Rock Hill Baptist Church in Saluda. Hundreds of onlookers made their... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mexico
Mexico Destroys Thousands of Old Seized Guns, Holds Onto New Ones
Associated Press
26 August 2009
The Mexican army and prosecutors announced Tuesday they have started destroying 79,074 firearms seized a decade or more ago. They will hold on to tens of thousands more weapons seized during the current offensive against drug cartels. Authorities launched the program by destroying some weapons at a ceremony at a military base in Mexico City. The weapons being destroyed have all been held at government warehouses for years.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Debate: Colorado Police Enter Gun Trade, Recirculate Seized Weapons
Los Angeles Times
23 August 2009
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado -- This conservative city is taking an unusual, some might say extreme, step to try to stem its fiscal woes: It's entering the gun business. The Colorado Springs City Council is expected in coming weeks to approve the final details of a program that would allow the Police Department to sell confiscated firearms to federally licensed gun dealers. Police have already stopped melting down the hundreds of... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
16,000 Guns Crushed, Turned Into Steel Reinforcing in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Times, Blog
28 July 2009
Officials today will destroy 16,000 guns confiscated from criminals and collected from numerous gun buy-back programs across L.A. County. Law enforcement agencies have attempted to get guns off the street by allowing people to turn them in for gift cards. Back in March, an LAPD gun-buyback program that traded gift cards for firearms netted nearly 1,700 weapons, including 40 assault-style weapons and a rifle with a grenade... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations
United States Observes International Small Arms, Gun Destruction Day
US Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Media release
9 July 2009
The United States is pleased to join in observing International Small Arms Destruction Day, initiated by the United Nations in 2001, as part of the United States' ongoing efforts to reduce armed violence and support the rule of law around the world. Since 2001, the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs has invested over $110 million dollars to help destroy over 1.3 million small arms and 50,000 tons of... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations
US Demand for Handguns Fuels Spike in Global Gun Trade - Survey
Agence France Presse
9 July 2009
GENEVA -- Ballooning US demand and the handgun's surge in popularity drove up the global trade in small arms by more than a quarter between 2000 and 2006, a UN-backed study showed Thursday. Those weapons in the hands of civilians, security forces or armed groups were behind the deaths of 450,000 people, said the authors of the Small Arms Survey 2009. Pistols, revolvers, rifles and heavy machine guns accounted for 60 percent... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenya Destroys 22,634 Guns, But Criminals Still Have More Than 10,000
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
30 June 2009
More than 10,000 firearms are in the hands of criminals in Kenya today, posing a big threat to security, a government body revealed on Tuesday. The National Focal Point on Small Arms has thus drafted a memo to the cabinet seeking to introduce harsh penalties on people convicted of gun crime. Initial proposals pushed for the death sentence but have since been scaled down to the life sentence, head of the unit David Kimaiyo... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Some Gun Owners Try to Save Firearms from Destruction in South Africa
Cape Argus (Cape Town)
30 June 2009
Gun owners from across Cape Town have been streaming into dealerships in the vain hope of retrieving the weapons they either sold or handed over voluntarily, in the wake of a Pretoria High Court ruling that the old licences are still valid. Previously, gun owners who missed the deadline for licence renewals were expected to hand in their weapons to police by midnight on Tuesday. But that changed with the High Court ruling... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi
Burundi Police Armouries Audited to Prevent Gun Theft, Diversion
Reuters AlertNet, Media release
29 June 2009
MAG has completed an evaluation of every police weapons storage site in Burundi, aimed at improving the security and management of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). This is the first time MAG has conducted such a systematic and detailed nationwide survey of a country's police armouries. A comprehensive report containing recommendations for safer management and storage of SALW was officially handed to the Director General... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Police Put at Risk by Non-compliance of Gun Owners - RCMP
Canadian Press
27 June 2009
OTTAWA -- The number of firearm owners who fail to renew their gun licences has steadily increased since the Harper government tabled legislation to scrap the federal long-gun registry. Opposition critics and the Coalition for Gun Control in Canada say the problem has increased risk for frontline police officers and undermines public safety. Despite an amnesty the Conservatives introduced to coax gun owners into licence... ( gunpolicy.org )
Oceania, United Nations, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea
United Nations Gun Chief Says Pacific Has Illicit Small Arms Problem
ABC Radio Australia (Shortwave), Audio
25 June 2009
The United Nations is working to halt the daily toll of one-thousand people around the world killed by small arms. The job of halting the toll taken by small illegal weapons has now been placed in the hands of United Nations Ambassador, Pablo Macedo. Ambassador Macedo is Chair Designate for next year's United Nations Biennial Meeting of States on Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons. Speaker: United Nations Ambassador, Pablo Macedo... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Gun Owners Could Face Arrest After Disposing of Guns, Say Shooters
South African Press Association
17 June 2009
BLOEMFONTEIN -- Thousands of South African firearm owners who have legally disposed of their firearms could be on the wrong side of the law due to no fault of their own by next month, a hunting body said on Monday. Confederation of Hunters Associations of South Africa (Chasa) spokesperson Neil Jones said many of its members and members of the public who were under the impression they had "legally disposed of" their firearms could... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Johannesburg Arms Dealer Gunned Down Because He Knew Too Much?
Cape Argus (Cape Town)
7 June 2009
Arms dealer and manufacturer Ivan Monsieur should maybe have known better. Six months before his mysterious death on Tuesday in an apparent hit carried out by men in police uniform, Monsieur's home had been invaded by three similarly uniformed men, demanding entry on the pretext of police business. They had then put a gun to the head of Monsieur's wife Shengie. The bogus cops, by her testimony, then forced her... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Murder of South African Gun Dealer Opens Up a Political Can of Worms
Citizen (Johannesburg)
7 June 2009
JOHANNESBURG -- The execution of a prominent arms dealer who attempted to expose illegal weapons trading and a hijacking syndicate operating within the metro police department is turning up more questions than answers. Belgian-born Ivan Monsieur founded New Generation Ammunition in 1991. The company is the only privately owned entity in South Africa licensed to produce new and remanufactured ammunition for both commercial and military... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Gun Theft, Diversion Fall Again Under Tougher South African Gun Laws
Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane)
5 June 2009
Statistics in the South African Police Service (SAPS) 2007-2008 annual report indicate that the numbers of illegally used firearms that have been reported lost or stolen have decreased compared to the previous financial year. This has perpetuated a trend that started in 1999. The annual report further indicated that there has been an increase in the number of recovered firearms in the 2007/08 financial year. Both positive developments... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Amnesty Nets Hundreds of Guns for Destruction in Australian Capital
ABC News (Australia)
3 June 2009
Hundreds of guns have been handed into ACT police during a three-month gun amnesty. During the amnesty -- which ends on Sunday -- unregistered and prohibited firearms can be given up to police without penalty. Around 220 guns and 6,000 rounds of ammunition have been surrendered. More than 700 additional firearms have also been registered during the period. ACT Chief Police Officer Michael Phelan says some... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Over 55,000 Guns Collected, Destroyed in Angola During the Past Year
Angola Press Agency
25 May 2009
LUANDA -- The National Disarmament Commission collected since the start of this process in 2008 about 55,754 fire-arms, 204,270 ammunitions and 15,781 explosives, informed Monday in Luanda the Second National Police Commander, Paulo de Almeida. The official gave these data during a lecture that delivered on the theme "Disarmament of the civilian population in Angola", in the ambit of the conference on "Peace, reconciliation and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Gun Register Fingers UK Police Officer for Selling Surrendered Shotguns
BBC News
22 April 2009
A second Durham Police officer has been arrested as part of an investigation into the sale of firearms. The 41-year-old constable, who has been suspended from duty, will be questioned on suspicion of the theft of shotguns. It follows the arrest of another Pc, aged 46, over the suspected sale of guns handed to police for destruction. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is supervising the force's... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Canberrans Hand In 66 Firearms During ACT Gun Amnesty
ABC News (Australia)
14 April 2009
The ACT Government says 66 unregistered or unlicensed guns have been handed in during the first half of a three month amnesty period. The amnesty is calling on ACT gun owners without permits will be able to surrender their firearms to police without penalties. Nine of the weapons handed in are prohibited firearms, including a semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic shotgun. ACT Police Minister Simon Corbell says... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
796 Guns Surrendered, 5,000 Registered in Australian Firearm Amnesty
Australian Associated Press
5 April 2009
Owners of more than 5,000 firearms previously unknown to NSW police have come forward during the first month of the state government's gun amnesty. Police Minister Tony Kelly says 796 firearms have been surrendered in the first month of the amnesty, with applications also taken out to register 5,000 weapons. The surrendered guns include 606 rifles, 49 handguns, 141 shotguns and 11 replica firearms. "The police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
New Australian Amnesty Sends 796 Guns for Destruction in First Month
Sydney Morning Herald
4 April 2009
Almost 800 illegal firearms have been surrendered during the first month of a three-month amnesty. NSW Police Minister Tony Kelly said 606 rifles, 49 handguns and 141 shotguns were handed in to police stations across the state since the amnesty began on March 1. It had netted 11 replica firearms, 151 pieces of ammunition and 76 firearms parts and telescopic sights, while there had been 4932 applications for the registration... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sudan
Sudan's Gun Amnesty, Destruction Drive Poorly Planned, Says Report
Sudan Times
29 March 2009
WASHINGTON -- A new report by Small Arms Survey describes the disarmament campaign ordered last year by President Salva Kiir Mayardit as "poorly planned, highly decentralized, and inadequately supported by the Government of South Sudan." The campaign was partly coercive, but "the process was largely non-violent, mainly due to weak implementation in many areas" said the report. This contrasts with a bloody campaign in 2006, especially... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Death Row Beckons for Illegal Gun Owners Under New Law for Kenya
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
17 March 2009
Possessing an unlicensed gun could soon earn you the death sentence as the Kenyan government steps up the war on crime. And police officers who hired out their guns to criminals could also join armed robbers on death row. Those who sold illicit firearms will not be spared either, if Parliament adopts proposed amendments to the Firearms Act. Innocent Person At present, a person found in possession of a... ( gunpolicy.org )
Papua New Guinea
WWII US Army Dumps Still Yield Papua New Guinea Gun Crime Ammo
Post-Courier (Port Moresby)
12 March 2009
The people of Torokina have been assured the issue of selling World War II ammunition will be dealt with by the Autonomous Bougainville Government. The chiefs in South Bougainville are happy with the response from the Bougainville Executive Council (BEC). Torokina district, the place that hit the headlines when youths turned to selling World War II ammunition to the public and business houses, has been assured the ABG will... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
More Canadian Cops Accused of Stealing, Recirculating Guns in Amnesty
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
9 March 2009
MONTREAL -- Lieutenant Raymond Neveu knew the Sept-Îles police station was in big trouble when drugs disappeared from the evidence room. Then guns strewn about the floor of the exhibit locker went missing, too. Seven officers are now suspended and two among them, including Lt. Neveu, face criminal charges in a scandal that has exposed chaos in the northern Quebec provincial police outpost. The case has also brought... ( gunpolicy.org )
Congo (ROC)
Congo Pays US$200 Each to Buy Back, Destroy 3,000 Assault Weapons
IRIN (UN News)
4 March 2009
BRAZZAVILLE -- At least 2,800 weapons recovered from ex-combatants in a three-week operation in the southern Pool region, site of several civil wars between 1998 and 2003, have been destroyed, according to a government official. "On Monday afternoon, in Kinkala, we incinerated some 2,873 weapons collected from ninja ex-combatants in the Pool region," Moandzibi Olingoba, the commissioner in charge of the economic reintegration of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
ACT Residents Offered Three Month Firearms Amnesty
ABC News (Australia)
27 February 2009
For the next three months ACT gun owners without permits will be able to surrender their firearms to police without penalties. The ACT Government declared a firearms amnesty today to coincide with a similar measure in New South Wales. For the next three months firearms can be disposed of at any Territory police station. Police Minister Simon Corbell says Canberra does not have a gun problem, as offences involving... ( gunpolicy.org )
Papua New Guinea
Illegal WWII US Ammo Sales 'Rife' in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea
Post-Courier (Port Moresby)
26 February 2009
Illegal sales of wartime ammunitions is rife in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. World War II ammunition left over from the Bougainville crisis are being dug up from old bunkers in one of the United States' biggest WW2 bases in Torokina, and sold openly on the streets of Buka. Self loading rifle (SLF) bullets are going for K10 a piece and M16 bullets are selling for K20 each. Reports reaching the Post-Courier... ( gunpolicy.org )
Solomon Islands
Total Gun Ban, Weapon Destruction Brings Peace to Troubled Pacific Nation
BBC News
23 February 2009
HONIARA, Solomon Islands -- A parliamentary panel in the Solomon Islands, in the South Pacific, is debating the future of an Australian-led peacekeeping force. The UN has praised it as a model of regional intervention -- but is its work now done? The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) is not one of the world's best-known peacekeeping forces. But the story of how peace has been built here, in this former... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ecuador
Street Gang Members Give Up Handguns for Destruction in Ecuador
Christian Science Monitor
22 February 2009
GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador -- In the most dangerous neighborhood of Guayaquil -- Ecuador's largest and most crime-ridden city -- a dozen youths are busy working in the Paz Urbana Print Shop. By the entrance, a young man designs a T-shirt logo with graffiti paint. In the back, amid the hip-hop music and paint fumes, tattooed young men with baggy pants and baseball caps compile an order of worksheets for schools. The print shop is... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Cop Abused Gun Amnesty, Diverted Guns Headed for Smelter
Star Phoenix (Saskatoon)
18 February 2009
A Calgary police officer who was accused of abusing a gun amnesty program pleaded guilty Tuesday to one charge of careless storage of a firearm. Dean Pankewicz, 43, was also facing four other charges, including trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm, but those were dropped after he pleaded guilty to careless storage. The 18-year police veteran was charged after an investigation into the sales of firearms that were... ( gunpolicy.org )
Congo (ROC)
Congo Gun Amnesty, Buyback to Collect 3,000 Weapons for Destruction
IRIN (UN News)
13 February 2009
BRAZZAVILE -- The Congolese government has started an operation to buy 3,000 weapons from ex-combatants and others illegally possessing weapons in the Pool region, southern Congo, an official told IRIN on 11 February. "Teams have been deployed on the ground. The operation to buy up the weapons started on 10 February in Pool region. It should allow the purchase of at least 3,000 weapons still in circulation in this zone," Moandzibi... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
California SWAT Team Recycles Disabled Submachine Guns Into Movies
Daily Sound (California)
27 January 2009
Weapons currently carried by members of the Santa Barbara Police Department's SWAT team may soon pop up in Hollywood action films. If the move is approved by the City Council tomorrow, the department will trade out its set of old weapons for new equipment through Cinema Weaponry, a firearms dealer out of Glendale, Calif., that converts weapons for use as props in movies. Police officials began searching for an arms dealer... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bolivia
Bolivia's First Firearm Law Brings Comprehensive Gun Control [Espanol]
El Deber (Bolivia)
8 January 2009
[Translated summary: Bolivia's first-ever national gun law will regulate the import, export, transfer, manufacture, transport, sale, ownership, carrying, storage and destruction of guns and ammunition]. La Ley de Armas, que fue aprobada el miércoles pasado por la Cámara de Diputados, sanciona el tráfico ilegal de armas con una pena de cinco a 15 años de cárcel y también castiga la tenencia, portación y el uso de material... ( gunpolicy.org )
Africa
Decades of Progress Reversed by Millions of AK-47s Dumped in Africa
Strategy Page (USA), Web Page
20 December 2008
Angola, whose long civil war ended six years ago, is trying to curb decades of violence by collecting and destroying weapons, especially the cheap AK-47s that have flooded the region in the last two decades. So far this year, the government has collected over 50,000 illegal weapons, many of them AK-47s. These are publicly destroyed, several thousand at a time, and reduced to scrap metal. The AK-47 has become as much of a curse for... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
New York Campaigner Turns Illegal Guns Into Art, Has Global Ambitions
Christian Science Monitor
19 December 2008
NEW YORK -- The artist Lin Evola-Smidt lives these days in Manhattan, but she is fond of saying that her sculpting career really began 3,000 miles and a world away. This was back in the early 1990s, when Los Angeles murder rates were among the highest in the country and local authorities struggled to tamp down illegal gun sales. Ms. Evola-Smidt followed the news from her San Francisco home with a growing sense of dread. Her son, Jason, was... ( gunpolicy.org )
Congo (DRC)
Congo Buyback Collects 3,000 Guns, Mainly from Women: Many Stolen?
IRIN (UN News)
15 December 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... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Mexico
Thousands of Mexican Crime Guns Traced to US Just Tip of the Iceberg
El Paso Times
13 December 2008
EL PASO -- The recent sentencing of two men convicted of federal arms-trafficking charges represents the latest cases with ties to El Paso investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. John Avelar, 32, of El Paso and Jonatan López-Gutiérrez, 33, of Mexico were sentenced, respectively, to 37 months and 48 months in prison, after pleading guilty to their roles in a gun-smuggling scheme. The indictment... ( gunpolicy.org )
Papua New Guinea
Islands 'Traumatised by Gun Culture,' Gun Control Urged in Bougainville
ABC Radio Australia (Shortwave)
26 November 2008
There has been a call for the government of Bougainville and the international community to do more to deal with the gun issue in the south of the autonomous PNG region. Three residents of south Bougainville involved in peace-building work in the region have told a seminar at the Australian National University in Canberra the south is being traumatised by the weapons culture. Unresolved conflicts from the region's civil... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sudan
Effective Collection, Destruction of Illegal Guns Surprises Many in Sudan
Sudan Tribune
19 November 2008
BOR TOWN -- At least 1700 arms have been collected in Jonglei County of Pibor, a survey by SPLM reveals. The collection makes the County more likely responsive to disarmament campaigns which commenced on June 1st 2008 in Southern Sudan. Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Jonglei secretariat, during a visit to Pibor early November, 2008, found that the County collected 1752 small arms. Pibor Member of Parliament to South Sudan... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Ghana Holds Gun Destruction Event, VP Calls for Weapon-free Elections
Modern Ghana News
15 November 2008
The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms (GNACSA), in collaboration with the United Nations Development programme (UNDP) yesterday in Accra organised a destruction of illicit weapons exerise. The exercise is under the theme 'Combating the menace of small arms for non-violent elections.' The Vice President, who graced the occasion, said 'the weapons destruction ceremony is to symbolise our commitment and determination not to use... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa, Mozambique Police Cooperate to Destroy Guns, Ammunition
Star (Johannesburg)
23 October 2008
A giant mushroom cloud of grey smoke followed by an ear-splitting boom and a shuddering of the earth heralded the successful conclusion of Operation Rachel's 27th mission into Mozambique. The mass destruction of firearms has been the focus of the continuing operation, which this month put an end to tons of firearms, ammunition and other military explosives. It's a bilateral cooperation agreement between SAPS and Mozambican police,... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, Mozambique
Routine Destruction of Guns Curbs Weapon Trafficking in Southern Africa
Times (Johannesburg)
21 October 2008
About 180km north of Maputo, near the lagoon lodges of Bilene, lies Mozambique's most expensive 8m-deep crater. Mangled bits of gun barrels and shrapnel strewn about the periphery hint at the explosive end of three weeks of hard slog in searing heat in the South African and Mozambican police's joint Operation Rachel. Within milliseconds, four tonnes of commercial explosives rip through weapons that left thousands killed... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Arizona Gun Dealer Loses 'Arsenal' of Handguns, 3mths in Canadian Jail
Chatham Daily News / Sun Media (Ontario)
17 October 2008
A 66-year-old Arizona man arrested at the border with an arsenal of loaded handguns in his vehicle was released from Sarnia jail Thursday after spending three months behind bars. Collie Roe pleaded guilty in Sarnia court to eight gun-related offences including possession of prohibited weapons, importing prohibited goods and evading customs laws July 12 at the Blue Water Bridge. Under Canada's strict new gun laws, Roe could... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Buyback in Buffalo, New York Collects 723 Weapons for Destruction
Buffalo News (New York)
13 October 2008
Buffalo's gun buyback is receiving favorable reviews from city auditors who have scrutinized data from the Sept. 27 event. In an audit that will be reviewed Tuesday by the Common Council, Buffalo Comptroller Andrew A. SanFilippo said analysts detected no serious problems with the implementation of the anti-crime offensive. Auditors wanted to make sure all weapons collected at seven sites throughout the city were accounted... ( gunpolicy.org )
China
Gun Culture, Gun Crime on the Rise, But Still Officially Hidden in China
Wall Street Journal
13 October 2008
SHANGHAI -- China's weapons laws are among the world's toughest. Its blanket ban on private ownership of rifles, pistols and even gun replicas is a core tenet of social policy. Still, a gun culture is taking hold. China may be freer from gun crime than many nations, and official statistics show overall crime on a continuous down trend. Yet, these days, reports about gun crimes turn up as often as several times a week even in the... ( gunpolicy.org )
China
Weapons Trail: A Timeline of Major Events Involving Guns in China
Wall Street Journal
13 October 2008
China boasts one of the world's strictest gun-control regimes. But the restrictions are increasingly being undermined by criminals, hobbyists, hunters and enthusiasts (See related article.) Timeline: 10th-12th century: Among world's first guns are Chinese-made "fire spears," an armament that employs gunpowder, an earlier Chinese invention. 19th century: Guns become more prevalent as China goes through decades of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bosnia & Herzegovina, Europe, United Nations
EU, UN to Spend EUR3 Million Destroying Bosnian Guns, Ammunition
Agence France Presse
24 September 2008
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina -- The European Union and a U.N. agency said Wednesday they have donated EUR3 million for the control and reduction of small arms and ammunition left over from the 1992-95 Bosnia war. The project's goal is "to decrease the threat posed to human security by the large and uncontrolled presence of small arms, light weapons and ammunition in the country," said Christine McNab, a representative of the United... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, East Africa, Central Africa
African Great Lakes Nations Brand State Guns to Detect Theft, Diversion
Daily Monitor (Kampala)
18 August 2008
KAMPALA -- Countries in the Great Lakes region have been given up to December 30 to brand all light and small weapons in their possession as a means of checking on soaring proliferation of illegal guns. The Executive Director of the Regional Center for Small Arms-Nairobi Chapter, Dr Francis Sang, who was yesterday addressing a three-day conference on small arms and light weapons in Kampala, urged regional member states to observe... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi
2,450 Former Burundi Rebels Surrender Only 40 Guns for Destruction
IRIN (UN News)
28 July 2008
BUJUMBURA -- Several thousand combatants of the Forces for National Liberation (FNL) have assembled at Rugazi in northwestern Bubanza Province but only a few weapons have been handed in, according to observers. FNL spokesman Pasteur Habimana said 2,450 fighters were in Rugazi and that number would rise to 3,000 as more came in from pre-assembly areas in Bujumbura Rurale. The rebels were required to surrender their weapons... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
27,000 Guns Seized, Some Destroyed, Cost of Weapons Soars in Uganda
Daily Monitor (Kampala)
25 July 2008
A total of 27,000 have been collected from Karamoja since the disarmament exercise started in 2001, the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs, heard on Tuesday. The State Minister for Defence, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, explained the recovery programme to the committee from the year 2001 to present. She said the security threat in the region has substantially been reduced since much of the gadgets were already... ( gunpolicy.org )
Rwanda
Rwandan Government Destroys Another 160 Tonnes of Ammunition
New Times (Kigali)
24 July 2008
RWAMAGANA -- The government carried out an exercise to destroy 160 tonnes of ammunition and unexploded ordinances at Gabiro Military Training School yesterday. "The ammunition and unexploded ordinances include those that were retrieved from different parts of the country and the expired ones that have been in the stores of Rwandan Defence Forces and Rwanda National Police," Musa Fazil Harerimana, Rwanda's Minister for Internal Security... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Well-meaning Pensioner Fined, His Gun Seized and Destroyed in New York
Watertown Daily News (New York)
24 July 2008
ALEXANDRIA BAY -- A 71-year-old man from Pennsylvania thought he was doing the proper thing Tuesday when he stopped at the state police station here to surrender a handgun he had brought into the state. Erwin Spethmann's proactive approach cost him a $100 fine. He doesn't know it yet, but Jefferson County District Attorney Cindy F. Intschert said Wednesday that she may try to get his money back for him, and clear him of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Owners Must Surrender Illegal Weapons for Destruction - Ontario Police
Flamborough Review (Ontario)
18 July 2008
The Hamilton Police Service (HPS) reminds all residents who own firearms to ensure their paperwork is in order. The HPS is making a concerted effort to encourage people with expired firearms licences and revoked registration certificates to comply with current legislation and once again be in a legal position to possess their firearms. Over the last few weeks, officers from the Firearms Section of the HPS have taken possession... ( gunpolicy.org )
Iraq, Afghanistan, United Nations, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania, Serbia
Iraq, Afghan Wars, Exports from Bosnia, Albania Hurt Bid to Destroy Guns
Agence France Presse
15 July 2008
UNITED NATIONS -- The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are undermining efforts to destroy surplus weapons by creating new markets for countries to sell their unwanted firearms, according to a survey. Although the world is witnessing "the largest systematic destruction of military small arms and light weapons since the end of World War II," countries that would normally have destroyed their surplus weapons are now being encouraged to... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Annual Report Launched at UN: Global Gun Theft, Trafficking, Gun Violence
United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), New York, Media release
14 July 2008
As delegates gathered in New York to consider the implementation of the Programme of Action on the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, the Small Arms Survey 2008: Risks and Resilience, was launched at a Headquarters press conference this morning. The book is the eighth annual review of global small arms issues, which is produced by a team of researchers based in Geneva, Switzerland, and a worldwide network of local... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations, Iraq, Colombia, Afghanistan
Civilians Alone 'Lose' 650,000 Guns Each Year, Says Study Released at UN
Reuters
14 July 2008
UNITED NATIONS -- Every year hundreds of thousands of small arms go missing and many wind up in the hands of insurgents in countries like Iraq, Colombia and Afghanistan, a new survey published on Monday said. The annual report issued by the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey said that as many as 650,000 civilian-owned weapons go missing. This figure excludes the considerable amount of weapons that are diverted -- usually meaning stolen... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
NYPD Fails to Find Most Seized Firearms, Lacks Gun Control, Says Audit
Newsday (New York)
2 July 2008
The New York City Police Department can't keep track of the guns it seizes, according to a report issued yesterday. New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. referred to the NYPD's current system of holding surrendered and confiscated firearms as unacceptable and demanded immediate improvements after announcing yesterday the results of his audit in lower Manhattan. In June of last year, Thompson's audit gauged whether... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, Africa
African Nations Collaborate to Prioritise Crackdown on Gun Trafficking
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
10 June 2008
African countries will develop a combined approach to deal with the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons, an African Union (AU) official said on Monday. AU director for peace and security department Geofrey Mugumya said African heads of states were committed to combating the problem jointly to help in taming internal conflicts which have torn apart some countries. Addressing journalists on the AU commission... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Citizens Voluntarily Hand Over 787 Guns Prior to 'Coercive Phase' in Angola
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
3 June 2008
SAURIMO -- About 787 firearms were handed over voluntarily, by citizens illegally owning them, to the National Police in the north-east Lunda Sul province since the beginning of the disarming process last April. According to the spokesperson of the provincial command of the Police in Lunda Sul, told ANGOP this Tuesday that the weapons were handed over in the districts of Saurimo with 440, Muconda with 136, Cacolo with 107 and Dala... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sudan
Taking Civilians' Guns by Force Will Not Improve Security in South Sudan
Sudan Tribune (France), Opinion
2 June 2008
In response to decades of armed violence and cattle rustling, the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) is planning a campaign to forcibly collect firearms from southern citizens. Government officials' motivations are understandable. Endemic pastoralist violence is reaching dangerous levels and there are widespread suspicions of outside support for the perpetrators as part of efforts to scupper the fragile north-south peace process. But coercive... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Where Illegal Guns Can Do No More Harm: New York Destroys Them All
New York Times
2 June 2008
In New York City, where taking illegal handguns off the streets is high on the mayor's agenda, thousands of firearms make it into the hands of law enforcement officers each year. Once they've been seized in crimes, whether after long and ignominious careers or short but violent ones, and once their owners have been prosecuted, the guns must be destroyed, never to be used again. The New York field office of the federal Bureau... ( gunpolicy.org )
Europe, United States, United Nations
NATO Hosts Conference on Global Threat Posed by Proliferation of Guns
Xinhua
29 May 2008
BRUSSELS -- A three-day international conference opened at the NATO headquarters on Wednesday to address the global threat posed by the proliferation, illicit trade and use of small arms and light weapons (SALW). The meeting, co-sponsored by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council countries and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, focuses on strengthening the role of regional organizations in addressing the threat.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Europe, United States, United Nations
Europe Hosts OSCE / NATO Forum on Global Threat of Illicit Firearms
United Press International
28 May 2008
BRUSSELS -- A forum being held in Brussels is designed to promote greater cooperation on deterring the global threat posed by the illicit small arms and weapons trade. The three-day conference, which began Wednesday, has brought together security experts from around the world to discuss how to coordinate and harmonize a response to the small arms and light weapons threat. The Synergy Conference for Regional Organizations... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, East Africa
Concern Over Increase in Illegal Guns After Post-Poll Violence in Kenya
IRIN (UN News)
26 May 2008
NAIROBI -- Very little has been done to check the increase in illegal guns in parts of Kenya that were hardest hit by the post-election crisis, an official of a peace and development NGO said on 23 May. "The small arms problem is bigger at this point than at any other time in our country's history, especially owing to the post-election violence, which created new markets for illegal arms more than ever before," Mutuku Nguli, chief... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Gun Amnesty Collects 1,654 Illegal Firearms for Destruction in Angola
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
15 May 2008
UIGE -- Some 1,654 fire-arms of various types were handed over voluntarily, by citizens owning them illegally, to the National Police in the northern Uige Province, from April up to the present date, said Thursday the province's deputy governor for organisation and technical services, Miguel Cutoca. Speaking to ANGOP, Miguel Cutoca, who is also coordinator of the provincial commission for disarmament, said that during this period... ( gunpolicy.org )
Solomon Islands
Solomons Government to Meet Compensation Claims from Gun Owners
Radio New Zealand International (Pacific shortwave)
14 May 2008
The Solomon Islands government says it will decide on compensation claims by legal firearms owners who surrendered weapons during the disarmament campaign in 2003. When the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) intervened after years of armed social unrest, the ruling government then ordered a nationwide disarmament of both legal and illegal firearms holders. The Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua has confirmed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Kenya, East Africa
East African Nations Team Up to Curb Gun Smuggling, Trafficking
Daily Monitor (Kampala)
5 May 2008
MBALE -- Security chiefs from Uganda and Kenya have stepped up efforts to end persistent arms trafficking along the common border. Last week, Uganda's and Kenya's joint border commissioners met in Mbale to fine-tune plans to stop the vice. The Minister for Presidency, Dr Beatrice Wabudeya, also attended the meeting at Mbale Resort Hotel. According to the army, the strategy is aimed at reducing gun-flow across the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Another 668 Civilian Guns Voluntarily Surrendered for Destruction In Angola
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
14 April 2008
LUBANGO -- Six hundred and 68 firearms were handed over voluntarily by citizens, last March, to the command of the National Police in central Huíla province, in light of the process of disarming the civil population, underway in the country, ANGOP learnt from an official source. The assistant co-ordinator of the provincial sub-commission of disarmament, 1st superintendent Feliciano António explained at a press conference that... ( gunpolicy.org )
Papua New Guinea
Bougainville Residents Want 'Outside Force' to Seize, Destroy Illegal Guns
Post-Courier (Port Moresby)
10 April 2008
A concerned citizen says a majority of the people from Central Bougainville want an intervention force to deal with the weapons issue. The citizen, a long-time resident of Arawa Town who did not want to be identified, said the silent majority of Bougainvilleans were fed up with the Autonomous Bougainville Government's claims the weapons disposal issue could be solved by Bougainvilleans themselves. "This is an outright lie... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Afghanistan, China, Albania, Iraq
US Offers 22yr-old Miami Man $300m for Old, Often Dud Afghan War Ammo
New York Times
27 March 2008
Since 2006, when the insurgency in Afghanistan sharply intensified, the Afghan government has been dependent on American logistics and military support in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. But to arm the Afghan forces that it hopes will lead this fight, the American military has relied since early last year on a fledgling company led by a 22-year-old man whose vice president was a licensed masseur. With the award... ( gunpolicy.org )
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