DATE=4/30/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43276
TITLE=SMALL ARMS IN AFRICA (PT. 3)
BYLINE=HILLETEWORK MATHIAS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON D.C.
CONTENT=
NOT VOICED:
INTRO: THERE IS A GROWING RECOGNITION BY AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS THAT
THE SPREAD OF SMALL ARMS HAS BECOME A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO CIVIL
STRIFE AND REGIONAL INSTABILITY. AS A RESULT, AFRICAN STATES ARE
NOW ENGAGED IN A CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE UNREGULATED SALE OF ASSAULT
RIFLES AND OTHER LIGHT WEAPONS. IN THE THIRD AND FINAL SERIES ON
SMALL ARMS IN AFRICA, V-O-A'S HILLETEWORK MATHIAS TAKES A LOOK AT
THE CRUSADE AGAINST THE PROLIFERATION OF SMALL ARMS IN AFRICA.
TEXT: THE GOAL OF AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS IS NOT A GUN-FREE
CONTINENT. THIS IS UNREALISTIC, THEY SAY, GIVEN THE FACT THAT
WEAPONS ARE NEEDED FOR LEGITIMATE SECURITY PURPOSES. SO WHAT THE
AFRICANS WANT IS TO CURB THE BRISK AND THE LARGELY UNREGULATED
TRADE IN LIGHT WEAPONS, WHICH USUALLY END UP IN THE HANDS OF
CRIMINALS, ORGANIZED CRIME SYNDICATES, BANDITS AND REBELS.
EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON IMPROVING BORDER CONTROLS,
THWARTING GUN SMUGGLING, DETECTING SECRET ARMS CACHES AND
DESTROYING SURPLUS ARMS. FOUR YEARS AGO, MALI BURNED SOME
THREE-THOUSAND WEAPONS SURRENDERED BY REBEL GROUPS IN THAT
COUNTRY.
ANALYSTS SAY THESE ARE IMPORTANT STEPS, BUT THEY SAY MORE ARE
NEEDED. AMONG PROPOSED SOLUTIONS IS A CODE OF CONDUCT THAT WOULD
OBLIGATE ARMS PRODUCING COUNTRIES NOT TO SELL WEAPONS TO
GOVERNMENTS WITH POOR HUMAN RIGHTS RECORDS. LORETTA BONDI IS
ADVOCACY COORDINATOR OF THE SMALL ARMS DIVISION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
WATCH.
// BONDI ACT //
THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS NEGOTIATED AND IN FACT APPROVED A
CODE OF CONDUCT WHICH TAKES HUMAN RIGHTS CONSIDERATION
INTO POLICIES OF ARMS ARMS TRANSFERS. HOWEVER, THERE WAS
NO MENTIONING OF ACTIVITIES OF EUROPEAN BROKERS WHO
CONDUCT (BUSINESS) FROM THIRD COUNTRIES. BROKERS ARE
SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. WE HAVE POINTED OUT
THAT THESE BROKERS HAVE COME TO THE FORE IN A BIG WAY IN
OUR INVESTIGATIONS AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN
THE CODE OF CONDUCT. WE ARE PUSHING VERY MUCH FOR IT.
// END OF ACT //
WHAT ABOUT SMALL ARMS FLOWING TO AFRICA FROM COUNTRIES SUCH AS
NORTH KOREA AND CHINA, BOTH OF WHICH, OBSERVERS SAY, ATTACH
LITTLE IMPORTANCE TO A CODE OF ETHICS? SOME SUGGEST THAT
WESTERN ECONOMIC AID TO THESE CASH-STRAPPED COUNTRIES WOULD GIVE
THESE NATIONS INCENTIVE TO AVOID ILLEGAL ARMS DEALS. OTHERS
ADVOCATE INTERNATIONAL MEASURES. DANIEL VOLAMN -- DIRECTOR OF
THE AFRICA RESEARCH PROJECT IN WASHINGTON D.C -- IS A SPECIALIST
IN AFRICAN MILITARY AFFAIRS.
// VOLMAN ACT //
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS THE
QUESTION OF TRANSPARENCY. THERE IS A U-N REGISTER FOR
THE SALE OF LARGE CONVENTIONAL WEAPONRY. I THINK IT
WOULD BE VERY USEFUL FOR COUNTRIES TO BE ENCOURAGED --
NOT REQUIRED -- TO REPORT ALL SALES OF SMALL ARMS.
THESE U-N MEASURES ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY
PROVIDE A VERY USEFUL WAY OF BRINGING PRESSURE ON THE
CHINESE TO COOPERATE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE
WORLD IF THEY (THE CHINESE) WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL
ACTIVITIES.
// END OF ACT //
LAST NOVEMBER, THE UNITED NATIONS CALLED ON ARMS PRODUCING
NATIONS -- INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES -- TO LIMIT THEIR SALE OF
WEAPONS TO AREAS OF CONFLICT IN AFRICA. THE WORLD BODY ALSO
CALLED FOR STRONGER MEASURES TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF ILLEGAL ARMS
BETWEEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. THE U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE
FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS, SUSAN RICE, DEFENDS HER GOVERNMENT'S
POSITION.
// RICE ACT //
OBVIOUSLY, AS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE, OUR SECURITY
ASSISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS ARE INTENDED TO ENHANCE
CIVILIAN CONTROL OF THE MILITARY, PROMOTE RESPECT FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINIMIZE CASES WHERE HUMAN RIGHTS ARE
ABUSED. WHERE THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES, SUCH AS IN
CENTRAL AFRICA, WHERE CONFLICT MAKES IT INAPPROPRIATE TO
CONTINUE OUR PROGRAMS AS USUAL, WE HAVE SUSPENDED THEM
AS WE DID SHORTLY AFTER THE CONFLICT BROKE OUT IN CONGO.
WE OBVIOUSLY REVIEW OUR SECURITY ASSISTANCE WITH THE
COUNTRIES IN THE REGION AS CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE.
// END OF ACT //
LAST JULY, THE UNITED STATES JOINED 20 OTHER COUNTRIES IN CALLING
FOR STEPS TO CONTROL SALES OF WEAPONS BY GOVERNMENTS TO REBELS
AND CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE MOVE WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND
BY GOVERNMENTS ACTING IN CONCERT. PARTICIPANTS CALLED THE ACTION
A GOOD BEGINNING. BUT CRITICS SAY IT DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH
BECAUSE IT FAILED TO DEAL WITH SALES OF ARMS TO GOVERNMENTS THAT
VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS.
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR IN MOZAMBIQUE, CHURCHES TRIED AN EXCHANGE
PROGRAM IN WHICH GUNS COULD BE TRADED FOR INCOME-PRODUCING ITEMS
SUCH AS SEWING MACHINES OR FISHING RODS. BUT THE PROGRAM FAILED
FOR LACK OF FUNDING AND BECAUSE THERE WAS A RISK THAT WEAPONS
WOULD SIMPLY BE RECYCLED BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
VIRGINIA GAMBA IS HEAD OF THE SMALL ARMS DIVISION OF THE
INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES BASED IN SOUTH AFRICA. SHE SAYS
SUCH A PROBLEM COULD BE TACKLED BY REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
THE SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (S-A-D-C).
// GAMBA ACT //
REGIONALLY, WHAT WE MUST HAVE IS SOME KIND OF AGENCY --
WHICH TO MY SUGGESTION IS THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGIONAL
POLICE CHIEFS COMMITTEE THAT IS BASED IN HARARE, IN THE
CASE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, THAT SHOULD REALLY EMPHASIZE
FIREARMS (AND) HAVE MORE POLICE OFFICERS FROM THE
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES OF THE GROUP OF SADC MEMBER STATES
TRAINED IN THE DETECTION OF ILLICIT ARMS AND THE
CREATION OF A CENTRAL REGISTRY SO THAT FIREARMS THAT ARE
CAPTURED AND DESTROYED CAN BE TRACED AND BE PLACED INTO
COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM IN CASE THERE IS ANY PROBLEM ABOUT
THEM ESCAPING SURVEILLANCE.
// END OF ACT //
MS GAMBA ALSO SAYS CREATING PROGRAMS TO REINTEGRATE EX-COMBATANTS
INTO CIVIL SOCIETY IS ANOTHER OPTION.
GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE ADOPTED TREATIES TO CONTROL THE
SPREAD OF CONVENTIONAL ARMS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHEMICAL
WEAPONS. BUT NO TREATY OR COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING SYSTEM YET
EXISTS FOR SMALL ARMS. MANY ANALYSTS SAY THAT CURBING THE SPREAD
OF LIGHT WEAPONS IN AFRICA WILL BE A LONG AND DIFFICULT FIGHT --
BUT THEY SAY THAT IF THIS BATTLE IS SUCCESSFUL, MANY LIVES WILL
BE SAVED. (SIGNED)
NEB/HM/KL
30-Apr-99 11:53 AM EDT (1553 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
