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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 10:55 pm
Time: 10:55 pm
Results for illicit arms
4 results foundAuthor: Koorey, Stephanie Title: Illicit Small Arms in the Pacific Summary: With the exception of Papua New Guinea, the number of illicit small arms likely to be in circulation in Western Pacific island countries is not particularly large or widespread. The region remains relatively 'gun free' as Philip Alpers' recently proclaimed. Supply is not bountiful, controls in the form of regional and national laws are sound, disarmament and amnesties have been somewhat successful, and demand is neither strong nor state or region-wide-Papua New Guinea being the exception. In broader context, the Pacific Institute for Public Policy points out that: The Pacific has seen its share of coups and conflict, but deserves recognition for being a largely peaceful region ... It also has a wealth of traditional mechanisms to end conflict ... It is worth bearing this in mind as the region develops a more 'bottom-up' approach to contemporary security issues. The project conducted a strategic assessment, rather than a detailed stocktake, of the illicit small arms in the Western Pacific island region with a focus on Fiji, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (excluding Bougainville). As anticipated, most of the illicit small arms in the region come from within the countries studied and are largely recirculated within them. However, there are pockets where weapons transgress borders, but this is not particularly organised or substantial. There are also trends with new weapons entering the region, but these are mostly imported by or with the knowledge or approval of the national governments. That makes illicit small arms in the Western Pacific island countries less of a transnational problem and more one for national governments. There are also five additional region-wide trends linked clearly and potentially to small arms proliferation. They were outside the scope of this project, but are worth bringing to attention and they are discussed briefly in this report. International organisations and national non-government organisations (NGOs) have been at the forefront of activism and information on small arms in the Pacific. Yet after more than a decade, the Nadi Framework and Goroka Gun Summit, both grand initiatives, remain largely dormant. In part, this reflects the reality that many illicit small arms-firearms essentially-are sourced from inside the country in which they are used, and recycled multiple times within it, and that the security sector has been, or remains, both a source of supply and driver of demand. This is particularly so for the Royal Papua New Guinea constabulary. The problems with illicit small arms in the Western Pacific are indicative of societal and governance problems and should not be seen as an isolated phenomenon. As such, this report cautions against any isolated firearms 'fetish' responses, or for the issues raised to be seen solely as 'a gun problem'. As Wondemaghen noted, fears generated by media stories of armed violence 'generates a temptation to reach for simple, often punitive solutions to multi-faceted complex problems'. As such, this report makes suggestions regarding illicit small arms control and broader, societal factors that may mitigate demand in the three focus countries. The research indicates tangible factors are a strong driver of demand and that the 'motives and means' hypothesis holds true. Small arms, mostly firearms, are sourced for personal or property protection, to participate in tribal fighting, to perpetrate crime, to coerce and influence political activities, but not to create state-wide conflict or coup against an extant government. In parts of Papua New Guinea there appears to be a constant overt demand for firearms, for both the tangible reasons listed above, as well as the more intangible predilection towards wanting firearms for the status they bestow on the user. However, this avenue of research could not be confirmed in this project. Conclusions that can be drawn from the research are that the hallmarks of the region are overt demand and supply in Papua New Guinea, reduced and low demand in Solomon Islands and Fiji, and internal supply, including the skills to build home-made firearms. Finally, the relationship between the civilian legal market of sporting and recreational shooters and the illicit market is emotionally potent. Globally and regionally, civilian stocks are leaked onto the illicit market. However, the position of this paper is that the Pacific sporting shooters are an informed and engaged stakeholder in small arms control, and that in many cases 'providing a path to legal firearms possession', including its safe storage and use, can be one element of effective small arms control. Details: Queanbeyan NSW: Australian Civil-Military Centre, 2016. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Civil-Military Occasional Paper 1-2016 : Accessed April 115, 2016 at: https://www.acmc.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/3-2015-Illicit-Small-Arms-in-the-Pacific.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: https://www.acmc.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/3-2015-Illicit-Small-Arms-in-the-Pacific.pdf Shelf Number: 138685 Keywords: Gun TraffickingGun-Related ViolenceIllicit ArmsIllicit MarketsIllicit WeaponsWeapons and Firearms |
Author: de Leon-Escribano, Carmen Rosa Title: Capabilities of Police and Military Forces in Central America -- A Comparative Analysis of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras an d Nicaragua Summary: A difficult transition to a new paradigm of Democratic Security and the subsequent process of military restructuring during the nineties led El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua to re-consider their old structures and functions of their armed forces and police agencies. This study compares the institutions in the four countries mentioned above to assess their current condition and response capacity in view of the contemporary security challenges in Central America. This report reveals that the original intention of limiting armies to defend and protect borders has been threatened by the increasing participation of armies in public security. While the strength of armies has been consolidated in terms of numbers, air and naval forces have failed to become strengthened or sufficiently developed to effectively combat organized crime and drug trafficking and are barely able to conduct air and sea operations. Honduras has been the only country that has maintained a proportional distribution of its armed forces. However, security has been in the hands of a Judicial Police, supervised by the Public Ministry. The Honduran Judicial Police has been limited to exercising preventive police duties, prohibited from carrying out criminal investigations. Nicaragua, meanwhile, possesses a successful police force, socially recognized for maintaining satisfactory levels of security surpassing the Guatemalan and El Salvadoran police, which have not achieved similar results despite of having set up a civilian police force separate from the military. El Salvador meanwhile, has excelled in promoting a Police Academy and career professional education, even while not having military attaches in other countries. Regarding budgetary issues, the four countries allocate almost twice the amount of funding on their security budgets in comparison to what is allocated to their defense budgets. However, spending in both areas is low when taking into account each country's GDP as well as their high crime rates. Regional security challenges must be accompanied by a professionalization of the regional armies focused on protecting and defending borders. Therefore, strong institutional frameworks to support the fight against crime and drug trafficking are required. It will require the strengthening of customs, greater control of illicit arms trafficking, investment in education initiatives, creating employment opportunities and facilitating significant improvements in the judicial system, as well as its accessibility to the average citizen. Details: Miami: Florida International University, Western Hemisphere Security Analysis Center, 2011. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Western Hemisphere Security Analysis Center. Paper 10. Accessed October 6, 2016 at: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=whemsac Year: 2011 Country: Central America URL: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=whemsac Shelf Number: 140540 Keywords: Drug TraffickingIllicit ArmsMilitaryOrganized CrimePolicingPublic SecurityViolence |
Author: Carlson, Khristopher Title: Measuring Illicit Arms Flows: Somalia Summary: Evidence of illicit weapons flows within and to Somalia points to multiple sources and end users, and indicates a vast array of weapons types forming such flows, from pistols and rifles to heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers (RPGs). While there has been some success in curbing illicit flows - with seizures and reductions in some supply routes - weapons and ammunition continue to proliferate among a range of non-state actors, including clan militias, opposition groups, and private citizens. In recent years illicit arms flows have been given significant attention at the global level, culminating in September 2015 with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, more specifically, SDG Target 16.4, which commits states to significantly reduce illicit arms flows by 2030 (UNGA, 2015). As the Small Arms Survey has pointed out, the UN's proposed indicator for measuring progress towards achieving this target - Indicator 16.4.21 - can be complemented with a range of additional indicators (De Martino and Atwood, 2015). In this context, this Research Note - the first in a series of four on measuring illicit arms flows in selected countries - addresses some of the dynamics of illicit weapons flows into and within the South Central region of Somalia ('South Central'), which is an area of active armed conflict. In particular, it highlights opportunities to enhance stakeholders - knowledge about illicit weapons and ammunition trends through the regular collection of data on seizures to support progress towards the achievement of Target 16.4 in Somalia. Details: Geneva: Small Arms Survey, 2016. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Notes, no. 61: Accessed October 20, 2016 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/H-Research_Notes/SAS-Research-Note-61.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Somalia URL: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/H-Research_Notes/SAS-Research-Note-61.pdf Shelf Number: 145888 Keywords: Illicit ArmsIllicit WeaponsTrafficking in Firearms |
Author: Martyniuk, Anton Title: Measuring Illicit Arms Flows: Ukraine Summary: Measuring Illicit Arms Flows: Ukraine is the fourth case study in a series examining the measurement of illicit arms flows in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 16. Based on interviews carried out in Kiev in addition to desk research , this analysis outlines the sources of illicit arms flows in Ukraine and the status of government plans or action to counter the problem, the trafficking routes used to smuggle weapons, and key indicators of illicit arms flows in the period 2010-2016. Key findings: Ukrainian civilians possess large numbers of unregistered small arms. The conflict in the east has contributed to significant diversion and losses from national stockpiles and the proliferation of a wider array of weapons types. The conflict and the concomitant increase in insecurity correlate with increased seizures from 2013 to 2014, although efforts to stem the proliferation of weapons have recovered only a modest number of illicit firearms. Ukraine still has no primary law regulating the manufacture, purchase, and possession of firearms and no central state register of civilian-held firearms. This makes it difficult even to differentiate between legal and illegal firearms in the country - and, by extension, complicates efforts to monitor and address illicit arms flows. Details: Geneva: Small Arms Survey, 2017. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper: Accessed May 3, 2017 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/T-Briefing-Papers/SAS-BP3-Ukraine.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Ukraine URL: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/T-Briefing-Papers/SAS-BP3-Ukraine.pdf Shelf Number: 145253 Keywords: Firearms Trafficking Illicit Arms Trafficking in Firearms Trafficking in Weapons |