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Suriname — Gun Facts, Figures and the Law

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StockpilesGun Numbers

Civilian Guns

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms

The estimated total number of guns held by civilians in Suriname is 60,0001 2

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Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

The rate of private gun ownership in Suriname is 13.43 firearms per 100 people

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms - World Ranking

In a comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries, Suriname ranked at No. 1492

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Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population - World Ranking

In a comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 179 countries, Suriname ranked at No. 483

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Number of Registered Firearms

The number of registered guns in Suriname is reported to be 30,0004 2 5

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Rate of Registered Firearms per 100 Population

The rate of registered firearms per 100 people in Suriname is 6.526

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Estimated Number of Illicit Firearms

Unlawfully held guns cannot be counted, but in Suriname there are estimated to be 30,0001 4

Government Guns

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Number of Military Firearms

The defence forces of Suriname are reported to have 7,0001 firearms

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in Suriname are reported to have 2,0001 4 firearms

ImpactsGun Death and Injury

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Number of Homicides (any method)

ChartIn Suriname, annual homicides by any means total

2009: 247
2008: 43
2007: 45
2006: 62
2005: 69
2004: 71
2003: 60
2002: 57
2001: 79
2000: 68

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Rate of Homicide per 100,000 People (any method)

ChartIn Suriname, the annual rate of homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2009: 4.667
2008: 8.35
2007: 8.81
2006: 12.27
2005: 13.80
2004: 14.37
2003: 12.31
2002: 11.86
2001: 16.67
2000: 14.55

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Number of Suicides (any method)

In Suriname, annual suicides by any means total

2005: 728

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Rate of Suicide per 100,000 People (any method)

In Suriname, the annual rate of suicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2005: 14.408

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

Export Control

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Small Arms Exports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition exports from Suriname is reported to be US$6,0189 (2009)

Import Control

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Small Arms Imports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Suriname is reported to be US$903,4439 (2009)

MeasuresInternational Controls

Regional Agreements

Organization of American States

On 14 November 1997, as a member of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Suriname adopted the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials (CIFTA), a legally binding multilateral treaty of which the OAS is depository. The CIFTA Convention has since been signed and ratified10 11 by Suriname

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty

In 2009, Suriname voted to begin12 negotiations towards a legally binding Arms Trade Treaty. In this vote, 151 UN Member States supported talks on an ATT, with 1 voting against, 20 abstentions, and 20 non-votes

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United Nations Firearms Protocol

The United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition has not been signed13 by Suriname

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, Suriname committed to a consensus decision of the United Nations to adopt, support and implement the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects14

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UNPoA National Reporting

Under the terms of its 2001 commitment to the United Nations small arms Programme of Action, Suriname has yet to submit a national report15 16 on its implementation of the UNPoA

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UNPoA National Point of Contact

In Suriname, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated16

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UNPoA National Coordinating Body

In Suriname, a National Coordinating Body to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has not been designated16

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UNPoA Civil Society Involvement and Support

In National Reports of Suriname submitted to the UN, a history of substantive cooperation with civil society in support of UNPoA activities is not apparent16

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UNPoA International Assistance – Donor

Funds for UNPoA implementation have not been donated16 by Suriname to other UN Member States

United Nations Small Arms Register

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Suriname has not declared2 its small arms exports in one or more annual National Reports on Arms Exports.

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, Suriname has been a Member State of the United Nations since 197517

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list18 Suriname as a Participating State
Last Updated on 18 March 2012

Short References

1.

Karp, Aaron.2009.‘Estimated Total Small Arms, Firearms, and Surpluses in Suriname, Rounded.’ Surplus Arms in South America: A Survey.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies,1 August. (Q5313)Full Citation

2.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q4)Full Citation

3.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q5)Full Citation

4.

Karp, Aaron.2009.‘Country Summaries – Suriname.’ Surplus Arms in South America: A Survey.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies,1 August. (Q5314)Full Citation

5.

OAS Observatory on Citizen Security.2011.‘Civilian Firearms Legally Registered.’ Report on Citizen Security in the Americas 2011.Washington, DC:Organisation of American States,1 January. (Q5679)Full Citation

6.

GunPolicy.org.2011.‘Calculated Rates – Suriname.’ Historical Population Data – USCB International Data Base.Suitland, MD:US Census Bureau Population Division,17 March. (Q4284)Full Citation

7.

OAS Observatory on Citizen Security.2011.‘Intentional Homicide.’ Report on Citizen Security in the Americas 2011.Washington, DC:Organisation of American States,1 January. (Q5678)Full Citation

8.

OAS Observatory on Citizen Security.2011.‘Suicide.’ Report on Citizen Security in the Americas 2011.Washington, DC:Organisation of American States,1 January. (Q5680)Full Citation

9.

Marsh, Nicholas.2011.‘Database of Authorised Transfers of Small Arms and Light Weapons.’ NISAT Small Arms Trade Database.Oslo:Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers,1 June. (Q16)Full Citation

10.

OAS / UNODA.1997.‘Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials / CIFTA.’ United Nations Programme of Action Implementation Support System: Regional Organisations.New York:Organization of American States / United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,14 November. (Q3244)Full Citation

11.

OAS.1997.‘Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials (CIFTA): Signatures and Ratifications.’ Organization of American States, Department of International Law.Washington DC:Organization of American States,14 November. (Q3262)Full Citation

12.

UNGA.2009.‘Towards an Arms Trade Treaty: Establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.’ UN Resolution A/RES/64/48.New York:United Nations General Assembly,2 June. (Q1886)Full Citation

13.

UNGA.2001.‘United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition.’ UN General Assembly Resolution 55/255.New York:UN General Assembly,31 May. (Q17)Full Citation

14.

UNGA.2001.‘Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.’ United Nations General Assembly.New York:UN General Assembly,20 July. (Q18)Full Citation

15.

Cattaneo, Silvia and Sarah Parker.2008.‘Reporting, NPCs and NCAs, 2002 to 2008.’ Implementing the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons: Analysis of the National Reports submitted by States from 2002 to 2008.Geneva:United Nations Development Programme,1 November. (Q20)Full Citation

16.

UNODA.2009.‘PoA-ISS Country Profiles.’ UN small arms Programme of Action (UNPoA) – Implementation Support System.New York:United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs,29 October. (Q1309)Full Citation

17.

UN.2009.‘Member States of the United Nations.’ UN.org Web Site.New York:United Nations General Assembly,11 May. (Q290)Full Citation

18.

Wassenaar Arrangement.1996.‘Introduction: Participating States.’ Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies.Vienna:Wassenaar Secretariat,12 July. (Q19)Full Citation