Concord Times (Freetown)
Abdul Karim Koroma
2 November 2007
Freetown — For being proactive in tackling the current threats and challenges Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) are posing to human security, the Speaker of Parliament, Justice Abel Strong, Monday assured executive members of the Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms (SLANSA) of Parliament's support.
Justice Strong gave this assurance when SLANSA's executive members paid him a courtesy visit at the Parliament Building on Tower Hill. He said he was pleased with the work of SLANSA and declared that the Parliament and government would not oppose the idea of setting up a Small Arms Commission in the country.
The Speaker emphasized that the Parliament's work with SLANSA would be made easier since Hon. Ibrahim Sorie, a parliamentarian, is a strong ally and supporter of SLANSA's work.
Briefing the Speaker on SLANSA's activities, which include awareness raising and sensitization on SALW proliferation and control in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme's Arms For Development and National Focal Committee on Small Arms on the ECOWAS Convention, SLANSA's Programme Coordinator, Florella Hazeley, who led the delegation spoke about the need for the establishment of a National Commission on SALW, which is a key provision of the ECOWAS Convention that was ratified by Parliament in June, 2007.
Explaining further, she said: "But it is yet to be lodged at the ECOWAS Commission in order for Sierra Leone to be deemed to have completed the ratification process; advocacy for a new Fire Arms legislation as the current one passed in 1955 is obsolete." SLANSA's Programme Coordinator narrated how her organization interfaced with the past Parliament through seminars, workshops and information on SALW-related issues in the framework of human security.
She disclosed that SLANSA is a member of the Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC) and the latter is lobbying governments to support the OSLO Process, which is geared towards a treaty banning the use, production and stockpiling of cluster bombs by 2008.
Hon. Ibrahim Sorie described his working relationship with SLANSA as 'very beautiful' having helped build the capacity of Parliamentarians on SALW issues through workshops and seminars. Hon. Sorie also briefed the delegation on the current composition of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense headed by retired Captain Abdul Raman Kamara.
He noted that the Parliamentary Global Action on small Arms (PGA) would organize a seminar on the Arms Trade Treaty in January 2008 with support from the Department for International Development.
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