Firearm News
UN Approved Arms Imports: Guns Resold in Somalia Markets
11 October 2016
New York Times, Reuters
Many guns imported by the Somali government with U.N. approval are being resold by arms dealers on the black market in the nation's capital Mogadishu, two Western diplomats said.
Such sales violate a three-year-old deal which exempted government weapons imports from a U.N. arms embargo. The U.N. Security Council partially lifted it in 2013 to equip government forces fighting al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.
The United Nations imposed a blanket arms embargo on... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya Police Kill 140+ in 2015: Other Countries Patrol Unarmed
2 October 2016
Daily Nation (Nairobi), Report
When it comes to killings, Kenya police has few equals: They kill more people in days than other countries do in years, a Nation Newsplex analysis reveals.
Studies around the world have linked the number and rate of police killings to factors such as whether police are armed all the time, gun ownership rates, adherence to police guidelines firearms use, quality of training offered to police recruits and poverty levels.
With a police killing rate of 3.2 per million... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Amnesty Operation Launched in French Réunion [FR]
19 September 2016
France TV Info
[Translated summary: An amnesty operation has begun in the French Indian Ocean territory of Réunion. Citizens are invited to surrender their firearms, without any sanction until December 15. In past operations, 820 firearms and 31,053 rounds of ammunition were collected in Martinique, and 86 firearms and 3,800 rounds of ammunition in French Polynesia.]
Le but est de réduire le nombre d'armes en circulation de façon illégale à La Réunion. Les particuliers sont... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,Afghanistan,Bulgaria,Italy,Syria,Czech Republic,Iran,Libya,Yemen,United Kingdom,Ukraine,United States,South Sudan,France
World Powers Accused of Violating Arms Trade Treaty [ES]
23 August 2016
IPS Noticias
[Translated summary: Human Rights organisations and military analysts accuse the United States, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France and Italy of violating the Arms Trade Treaty by selling to countries in conflict. Experts say that effectively implementing the treaty could save millions of lives.]
NACIONES UNIDAS - Los grandes proveedores de armamento violan el tratado que regula su comercio y que se propone frenar el flujo de armas pequeñas y ligeras hacia las zonas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,Syria,South Sudan,United States,Bulgaria,Czech Republic,France,Italy,Egypt,Ukraine,Moldova,Slovakia,United Kingdom,Saudi Arabia,Germany,Spain
UN: No Tolerance for States Who Flout Arms Trade Treaty
22 August 2016
Amnesty International (London)
- States Parties [countries] still engaging in unscrupulous arms transfers, putting lives and human rights at risk
- More than a quarter of States Parties are yet to meet the treaty's reporting obligations
- Some States Parties opting to reject public scrutiny of their arms transfers
States must ensure the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) lives up to its promise to save lives and protect human rights from the devastating effects of the international arms trade by taking... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,China,Germany,United Kingdom,France,Russia,Spain,Italy,Israel,India,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,Pakistan,Australia,Turkey,Singapore,South Korea,South Sudan,Ukraine
Killer Facts: The Scale of the Global Arms Trade, Gun Totals
22 August 2016
Amnesty International (London)
Transfers of heavy conventional weapons
The top 10 exporters of conventional arms (excluding small arms/ light weapons – SALW) 2010-15
USA: US$55.006 billion
Russia: US$42.404 billion
China: US$9.943 billion
Germany: US$ 9.467 billion
France: US$ 8.932 billion
UK: US$ 7.627 billion
Spain: US$ 5.310 billion
Italy: US$ 4.360 billion
Ukraine: US$ 4.156 billion
Israel: US$ 3.280 billion
The top 10 importers of conventional arms (excluding SALWs) 2010-15
India:... (GunPolicy.org)
Ethiopia Hopes to Control Illegal Firearms with New Gun Law
14 August 2016
The Ethiopian Herald
INTERVIEW
Ethiopia has prepared a draft proclamation to control illicit flow of small arms and light weapons. Last week, EPA reporters have held an exclusive interview with Haneta Geberemedhin, Deputy Commissioner of Federal Police Commission and adviser to the commissioner regarding the objective and expected outcomes of the draft proclamation. Excerpts:
- Guns are owned [by citizens/individuals] both legally and illegally in our country. How does that come up? What... (GunPolicy.org)
Rwanda,Kenya,Tanzania,Burundi,Uganda
Armed Violence and Illegal Guns in East Africa - Recent Study
26 July 2016
New Times (Rwanda)
East African Community (EAC) member countries are meeting in Kigali for a validation workshop on the study by the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) on the status of armed crimes in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
The report dubbed 'Analysis of Armed Crime Rates' released yesterday, in Kigali was conducted between 2010 and March 2016 with the support of African Development Bank (AfDB).
According to the report, Rwanda registered 421 cases related to... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Verification Exercise in Tanzania Registers 14,000 Firearms
22 July 2016
Tanzania Daily News
Over 14,000 firearms have been verified in the past three months, the exercise that helped to collect 198.8m/- as fee for such weapons.
In March, this year, the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Paul Makonda, issued a three-month ultimatum to owners of firearms in the regions to surrender their weapons to the police for verification.
During the exercise a total of 11,602 owners surrendered their weapons for verifications despite some challenges during the... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya Ongoing Registration of Illegal Guns Reaches 29
18 July 2016
Hivisasa (Kenya)
The ongoing registration of illegally acquired firearms has received a major boost after six herders from Garissa County surrendered their unlicensed rifles to the government for registration by the relevant county security teams.
According to Garbatula police boss, Kioko Nyamai, the move is expected to expansively trigger a popular desire by other pastoralist groups to register their firearms and further dispel the fears of being disarmed or victimised.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Ethiopia,Kenya,Burundi,Tanzania,Rwanda,Uganda
Kenya's Private Gun Ownership the Largest in East Africa
11 July 2016
East African (Nairobi)
Kenya has the largest number of guns in civilian hands in eastern Africa amid rising gun attacks while Rwanda has the least, a global survey shows.
Data from Sidney-based GunPolicy.org, a website backed by the United Nations, puts the estimated number of guns possessed by Kenyan civilians at about 680,000, comprising licit and illicit firearms.
Tanzania has 550,000 guns in private hands, Uganda (400,000), Ethiopia (320,000), Burundi (100,000) and 58,000 for... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 200 Firearms Collected from Militia in South Sudan
7 July 2016
Radio Tamazuj (Sudan)
Authorities in South Sudan's Warrap state have collected over 200 firearms from a Gelweng militia in Aguok centre.
A minister of the proposed Gogrial state Adior Kuol Amum said the disarmament exercise took place following a visit by deputy governor Santino Akot Abem.
"This indicates the youth are ready for peace because they will be one enjoys fruit of peace," Adior said.
The move is in line with peace resolutions signed in May between the Aguok and Apuk communities... (GunPolicy.org)
Growing Number of Firearms Among Criminals in Mayotte [FR]
12 June 2016
Mayotte 1ère
[Translated Summary: In one week, there were two cases of criminal activity with handguns in Mayotte. This raised concern about illegal firearms in the country.]
En une semaine, par deux fois des voyous ont agi, armes à feu au poing. Une escalade inquiétante qui confirme les rumeurs persistantes d'armes à feu introduites illégalement dans le département.
Mayotte est bel et bien face au développement d'une forme de grand banditisme. La semaine dernière, les... (GunPolicy.org)
Homemade Guns Surrendered to Police Stations in Tanzania
30 May 2016
Tanzania Daily News
About 61 homemade firearms locally known as gobole owned illegally have been surrendered at different police posts in Katavi Region since the exercise was officially launched on March 21, this year.
The Katavi Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Damas Nyanda, said the verification exercise will officially end on June 30, this year, saying that so far 61 per cent of firearms verification have been completed and established that most of them are legally owned.
He further... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifles Being Handed in for Registration in Kenya
16 May 2016
Citizen (Kenya)
Residents of Isiolo County continue to take advantage of a government amnesty on the surrender of illegal arms.
Led by area MCA and Isiolo County Assembly Majority Leader Adan Giro, the residents have surrendered a total of nine firearms and hundreds of bullets to the government.
The residents from Kinna ward presented three AK-47 rifles, one M16 rifle, and 302 rounds of ammunition for registration by the sub county security team at Kinna Social Hall in... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania's Neighbouring Countries a Source of Illegal Guns
16 May 2016
Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Mwanza will not win the war against illegal fire arms unless peace is found in neighbouring war torn countries, Mwanza Regional Commander Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) has said.
According to the police head ongoing conflict in South Sudan has also contributed to the presence of guns in Tanzania.
"Criminals travel to any country looking for guns and they are often readily available in places such as South Sudan, due to this, the city is experiencing... (GunPolicy.org)
Congo (DRC),North Korea,Rwanda,Burundi
North Korea Giving Guns to Congolese Police, Soldiers: UN
14 May 2016
Daily Mail (UK), Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS — U.N. experts say Congolese army officers and police reported receiving pistols from a group of 30 North Korean instructors training their presidential guard and special police forces, which would appear to be a violation of U.N. sanctions banning Pyongyang from exporting weapons or providing military training.
The panel of experts monitoring U.N. sanctions against Congo said they found that pistols similar to those produced in North Korea were issued... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania: Guns to Be Given Back to Owners
29 April 2016
Tanzania Daily News
DODOMA — Firearms that were impounded during anti-poaching campaign dubbed as "operation tokomeza" would be returned after verification of their genuineness and legal ownership, the Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, told the National Assembly here yesterday.
He said that the police force was still going on with the verification exercise to identify a number of things, including genuineness; legal ownership and whether such arms were free from any involvement in... (GunPolicy.org)
Burundi Reports 481 Armed Violence Homicides in 2015 [FR]
28 April 2016
Burundi Africa Generation
[Translated summary: The president of the National Permanent Commission of Fight Against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons claimed that gun violence and insecurity in Burundi remains, despite efforts to fight it. Only in 2015, there have been 481 homicides, mostly perpetrated by men in Mairie de Bujumbura, the capital.]
A Bujumbura, ce lundi 25 avril 2015, l'officier Laurent Kabura, commissaire de police (CP) et président de la CNAP ( Commission... (GunPolicy.org)
Mauritius: Firearms Amendment Supports Arms Trade Treaty
28 April 2016
Government of Mauritius
The Firearms (Amendment) Bill which provides for amendments to the Firearms Act to implement the provisions of the Arms Trade Treaty to which Mauritius is a signatory, was presented by the Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, in the National Assembly. The Bill was voted with amendments on 26 April 2016.
In his presentation, Sir Anerood Jugnauth expressed confidence that the accession of Mauritius to the Arms Trade Treaty and the amendments to the Firearms Act will... (GunPolicy.org)