Government’s one-month gun amnesty is a good idea whose time has come

Sep 12, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
The government’s one-month gun amnesty period which commenced on September 1, 2015 is a good idea whose time has come. The results in some countries vary but the vast majority of law abiding citizens are supportive of the process, even though a few who are themselves in possession of illegal firearms may be reluctant to surrender their weapons. Among the probable reasons for this unwillingness in some places may be a perception that the state does not ensure security for all people and communities regardless of political affiliation, or social status. And therefore several general and specific factors would have been observed when the amnesty programme was envisaged. These would have included considerations of demographics, levels of gun crime and violence, and the structure and quality of security sector service.
It is important to note that the amnesty forms part of a broader strategy that is focused on promoting public security and human development, which addresses not only the presence of weapons, but also the causes of violence. Although the short term objective might be to take certain types or numbers of weapons of the streets, the long-term goals must reflect an urgent desire to reduce armed violence, or raising awareness of the risks associated with the illegal possession of firearms. It will therefore require a major shift in attitudes for total submission to what is essentially disarmament as a crime prevention strategy.
Destroying or rendering weapons unusable is the only way of ensuring they are permanently taken out of circulation. Destruction if done publicly sends a powerful message about the importance of removing the tools of violence from society. In addition to the monitored destruction of collected weapons (to prevent diversion or recirculation), the avenues for resupply of illegal guns and ammunition must be closed off. Our porous border presents a challenge in this regard and is another militating factor in our public security environment. Public education enhanced and integrated with weapons collection efforts can change perceptions about the desirability of possessing illegal weapons. The current initiative to improve our public security environment can be boosted significantly if it receives the endorsement of all political leaders and public officials. This will serve to encourage and reassure the undecided who arguably might still perceive the need for self-protection.
Editor, thus far there is every indication that the current programme was introduced after serious thought, and therefore we can anticipate at the end of this one-month period that an evaluation of the programme process and outcome will be undertaken in order to document the results to the authorities and general public. The evaluation should, at a minimum, describe the process, assess the degree to which stated goals have been achieved, identify unexpected programme impacts, verify the final disposition of the weapons, and determine what lessons have been learned for the future.
Patrick E. Mentore

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Government’s one-month gun amnesty is a good idea whose time has come

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