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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 11:51 pm
Time: 11:51 pm
Results for illicit weapons
3 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: 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: Alusala, Nelson Title: Africa in Arms: Taking stock of efforts for improved arms control Summary: The future of Africa's development is intrinsically linked to the continent's ability to take charge of its peace and security. The African Union (AU) Commission is best placed to lead this process. However, the organisation and its member states have continuously been challenged by the widespread and uncontrolled flow of arms and ammunition. The AU Commission and its affiliated sub-regional organisations have put into place a number of initiatives and mechanisms that align their efforts with global processes, but Africa is yet to fully enjoy the dividends of these measures. This paper reviews the achievements attained so far, explores some of the drivers of the demand for arms and identifies recommendations for bolstering existing efforts. Recommendations - To strengthen current efforts, the AU, regional economic communities (RECs) and regional mechanisms (RMs) should consider the following: - Strengthening stockpile management systems within member states. This should include the construction of modern armouries and capacity building for relevant personnel. - Enforcing the implementation of arms embargoes, in collaboration with the UN sanctions committees and embargo monitoring groups. - Addressing terrorism comprehensively. Terrorism is increasingly becoming a major driver for illicit arms flows. There is an urgent need for the AU and its sub-regional organisations to coordinate efforts to eliminate this growing menace. - Regulating artisanal arms manufacturers. These manufacturers should be supported in a framework that allows them to operate in a more formalised way. Failure to do this would exacerbate illicit arms proliferation and manufacturing. Details: s.l.: ENACT, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper Issue 3: Accessed February 6, 2018 at: https://enact-africa.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2017-12-13-ResearchPaper-AfricainArms-Research.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Africa URL: https://enact-africa.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2017-12-13-ResearchPaper-AfricainArms-Research.pdf Shelf Number: 148998 Keywords: Arms ControlIllegal Trade Illicit WeaponsTerrorism Trafficking in WeaponsWeapons |