The Chronicle Newspaper (Lilongwe)
Pilirani Phiri
12 July 2004
Lilongwe — A leading human rights organisation has called on the government to introduce an arms trade treaty to control the international supply and trafficking of guns.
Speaking recently in Lilongwe, Undule Mwakasungula, Programme Coordinator for The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), said more must be done to ensure the supply and use of weapons are strictly regulated.
His comments came during the launch of a Campaign for the Introduction of International Arms Control Trade. "The vicious circle of arms transfer, conflict and abuse is a global problem that also needs a global solution. Both supply and demand must be checked," he said. "We have had cases of armed robberies and violent crime with the use of firearms while innocent civilians have also been killed by the unprofessional use of firearms by our law enforcers." Mwakasungula further called on the government to provide human safety for Malawian citizens, thus reducing their demand for arms by making sure security forces only use their firearms in exceptional circumstances.
Speaking at the same function, Deputy Commissioner of Police Tumalishe Ndovie said the misuse of arms by police was a big challenge which needed to be addressed, not only by the police but also by other players in civil society. "The role of the police as law enforcers is simply to arrest but not to kill. However, the other setback is that the police in the country do not have enough materials to use as alternatives to guns when trying to quell tension as is the case in other countries," said Ndovie.
The campaign is not the first time that members of international organisations have come together with local human rights bodies to voice their concerns about the need to control gun crimes in Malawi and neighbouring countries. Many firearms have entered this country from Mozambique after the end of the war there between Renamo and Frelimo and also from the war of liberation.
Article 3 of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition and other Related Materials stipulates that the region will combat the illicit manufacturing of firearms, ammunition and other related materials, while Amnesty International and the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) are also part of the global 'Control Arms Campaign' urging governments to develop and strengthen the region's arms control agreements in a bid to uphold human rights and international humanitarian law.
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