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| Central and Eastern Africa |
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Illegal firearms pose a major threat to public
safety throughout central and east Africa, encouraging crime
and fuelling and prolonging conflict. Small arms and light
weapons such as assault rifles are especially suited to the
irregular warfare that is still widespread in the region because
they are cheap, easy to use, widely available and durable.
Bladed weapons like machetes have also been widely used in
conflicts in Rwanda and Burundi.
Millions of lives have already been lost in the region, and the supply
of arms to both governments and rebel groups continues to grow.
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| In 2000, 10 countries signed the
Nairobi Declaration on Small Arms and Light Weapons and in 2002
the East Africa Police Chiefs Committee was formed. The Committee
has set up a programme to register and classify firearms. However,
ongoing instability presents major challenges for these and other
initiatives.
Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA)
Small Arms Survey: Africa
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| Burundi |
| Burundi has been at war since 1993.
With its active rebel groups, the country is a magnet for arms
trafficking. The government has started to disarm individuals who
hold illegal firearms, but this is proving problematic. Conflicts
in Angola, Congo, Sudan and Somalia contribute to the free circulation
of weapons throughout the country. An estimated 300,000 civilians
have been killed so far. |
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The borders between Cameroon,
Chad and the Central African Republic have been identified as
areas of high proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Armed banditry is a growing problem in urban areas of Cameroon,
and it is also a producer country.
Association Camerounaise pour l’evaluation environmentale
e-mail: bitondo@hotmail.com
Commission Diocésaine Justice et paix de Yaoundé
e-mail: romyd2@yahoo.com
Outdated laws as impetus for illicit proliferation of SALW in Cameroon
Cameroon Youth and Students Forum for Peace
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| Political instability in CAR has
led to the proliferation of small arms, many of which enter the
country through its borders with Chad and Cameroon. A military
rebellion in 1996 left the security forces in chaos, and led to
a breakdown in law and order and the proliferation of armed militias.
Although a subsequent UN mission succeeded in retrieving 58 per
cent of illegally-owned light weapons, trouble flared again in
late 2002. Six months of fighting between rebels, government forces
and their Congolese allies ended in March 2003 with the ousting
of the president. The government has now launched an arms collection
programme offering jobs in exchange for weapons. It aims to recover
10,000 guns and create 1,000 jobs. |
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Democratic Republic of Congo
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| Until 1996, only government
officials were licensed to carry firearms in the DRC. Since war
broke out in the same year, small arms and light weapons have
spread throughout the country. A second war in 1998 exacerbated
the problem. The total death toll related to armed conflict is
estimated at 2,600 per day. More
The country held its first public destruction
of weapons in 2002, when 1,000 guns were set alight. The UN
mission in DRC aims to implement disarmament and demobilisation.
Over 200 child soldiers were demobilised in December 2001.
Congolese Physicians for Peace (IPPNW DCR)
e-mail:amcpaix@hotmail.com
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| Small arms and light weapons began
to proliferate in Djibouti after the civil war in 1991. Although
the sale, transfer and transportation of arms, munitions and materials
of war are regulated by a penal code introduced in 1962, the situation
has been made worse by a massive influx of refugees and ongoing
conflicts in neighbouring countries. |
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| Since independence in 1991, possessing,
trafficking and dealing in firearms have been illegal in Eritrea.
In 1998, the country went to war with Ethiopia over a border dispute.
Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed or
taken prisoner. The ongoing conflict has also led to large-scale
proliferation of small arms. Eritrea is currently working with
the UN Demobilisation Programme to demobilise 200,000 fighters. |
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| Ethiopia has more than 80 ethnic groups, with different
customs relating to possessing and using firearms. Many people
are strongly attached to their firearms. Nearly three decades of
war have left a large number of small arms and light weapons in
the hands of individuals. Weapons belonging to the defeated regime
have been redistributed without being registered with the police,
although efforts are being made to identify owners. Firearms are
smuggled in from neighbouring countries, particularly Somalia.
The government is planning new permanent laws to control firearms.
Temporary regulations require all citizens with firearms to
be registered and licensed. Attempts are also being made to
control the use of firearms in pastoral and nomadic communities,
where people are most likely to be deeply attached to their
weapons. The police and the defence force are working to strengthen
border controls and stop the illegal sale and purchase of firearms
within Ethiopia.
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| Regional conflict has led to
a significant increase in the number of illicit firearms recovered
by the Kenyan police. Kenya licenses non-lethal weapons like
chemical maces so people can protect themselves, but aims to
keep the use of firearms to the minimum. To discourage individuals
from arming themselves, the government has trained armed civilian
police reserves to protect people and their property. Kenya has
also introduced stiffer penalties for those dealing in small
arms, strengthened its specialist police units and agreed to
co-operate across borders with Uganda and Tanzania. The government
is planning campaigns against practices such as violent cattle
rustling and has pledged the public destruction of 20,000 illegal
firearms.
Projects
World Vision
World Vision works to resolve conflict among warring pastoral tribes
along the Uganda-Kenya border. There are an estimated 160,000 unregistered
small arms in the area. Their use has exacerbated age-old conflicts,
destroying property and lives, and making these communities some of
the most under-developed areas in the Horn of Africa. World Vision
aims to build on existing traditional conflict resolution mechanisms,
creating and supporting community- based peace reconciliation committees
at local, district and national level.
Africa Peace Forum/International Resource
Group
e-mail: kilenem@africaonline.co.ke
Website: www.amaniafrika.org
Association of Physicians and Medical Workers
for Social Responsibility
e-mail: psaoke@yahoo.com
Kibera Youth Programme for Peace and Development
e-mail: kenodhiss@yahoo.com
People for Peace in Africa
e-mail: ppa@africaonline.co.ke
Saferworld Africa
e-mail: jokoko@saferworld.org.uk
Website: www.saferworld.co.uk
Security Research and Information Centre
e-mail: sric@africaonline.co.ke
World Vision
Website: www.wvi.org
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Conflict first broke out in the Republic
of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) in 1993. Full-scale civil war
followed in 1997 and 1998-99, and there are still sporadic
outbreaks of violence. Conflicts in neighbouring countries
and the presence of armed militias have contributed to the
spread of small arms and light weapons. The government began
a disarmament and demobilisation programme in 2002. Its aims
are to collect 12,500 weapons and reintegrate 8,000 soldiers.
Rassemblement National des Blessés et Victimes de Guerres Civiles
(RANABLEVI)
e-mail Raphaël Edgar Abengovounet: rabengovounet@yahoo.fr
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During the Rwandan genocide,
Hutu militia were trained to murder 1,000 people every 20 minutes,
often using machetes and knives. The country remains deeply traumatised
and divided, and the region extremely volatile.
Both traditional weapons and small firearms are widespread, due to the
country’s porous borders and the cheapness and accessibility of weapons.
Following the Nairobi Declaration in 2000,
ministries and NGOs are working together to implement an agenda
and co-ordinate work in the region. Their aim is to develop
Rwanda’s capacity to build a sustainable approach to
tackling small arms and light weapons.
FARMAPU- INTER & CECOTRAP
e-mail: alisai2000@yahoo.fr
SaferRwanda
e-mail: saferrwanda@yahoo.co.uk
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| Somalia has not had a central government
since the early 1990s. Feudal warlords compete for power, and the
country is lawless. Illegal trading in small arms and light weapons
is widespread, and with many weapons crossing the porous and ill-defined
border into Kenya. The country also has groups linked to international
terrorism. Sources suggest that the missiles fired at an Israeli
plane and the bomb planted in hotel in Mombasa in late 2002 came
from Somalia, as did the bombs that killed more than 200 people
in the US embassies in Nairobi and Tanzania in 1998. |
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| Sudan |
| In the absence of a reliable
security sector, people are increasingly reliant on illegal firearms
to protect themselves. The spread of these weapons is also fuelling
crime, exacerbating conflict, undermining stability and hindering
development. Like Ethiopia, Sudan has various customs and traditions
relating to the possession of firearms, and some people are deeply
attached to their weapons.
Armed conflict in Sudan has been caused by
political competition and tribal conflict. Economic hardship,
widespread illiteracy, the weakness of law enforcement agencies
and the absence of a culture of peace all contribute to the
spread of small arms. Weapons also flow into Sudan from neighbouring
(also conflicted) countries. Sudan demobilised 909 child soldiers
at the end of 2001.
Centre of Humanitarian Affairs Resource
Management (CHARM)
e-mail: charm@sudanmail.net
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| Tanzania |
| Tanzania is an unstable country,
with large numbers of arms and soldiers with few or no other
skills. Tanzania’s National Action Plan aims to control
and eventually eradicate the proliferation of small arms. The
plan recognises the vital role of civil society in building sustainable
peace, security and development.
The Tanzanian government is taking a leading
role in the struggle against crime, terror and illicit arms
in the region. All relevant government agencies are working
together, overseen by NGOs. The government is also collaborating
with NGOs to develop a five-year national plan of action for
arms management and disarmament. In 2002 the police launched
a major operation to recover illegal arms in the Kagera region.
Concern for Development Initiatives
in Africa (ForDia)
e-mail: fordia@ud.co.tz
Website: www.fordia.org
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| Uganda |
| Uganda has been politically
unstable since becoming independent in 1962. In 1971, General
Idi Amin seized power. His regime was marked by state-sponsored
massacres using small arms. Although NGOs are now working to
promote human rights education and peaceful conflict resolution,
their work is hampered by a lack of reliable historical documentation.
In 2001, Uganda banned gun ownership for a
year to enable it to introduce more stringent regulation of
civilian firearms. The armed forces and the governments are
registering firearms and computerising their records. There
has been voluntary and forcible disarmament in rural communities,
and the government has encouraged farmers to switch from livestock
to arable farming in the hope of reducing violent cattle rustling.
Projects
UANSA
UANSA – the Uganda Action Network on Small Arms – is a coalition
of organisations and individuals working to reduce the number of small
arms and light weapons in Uganda, introduce proper controls and build
a culture of peace. Current projects include:
Research and awareness-raising:
The project aims to broaden local and international awareness
and strengthen understanding of the issues associated with
small arms, light weapons and community security. UANSA is
collecting and analysing data on the current situation. This
data will be disseminated to local and national organisations
through three workshops. These workshops will also aim to develop
a strategic approach to the illegal transfer and use of small
arms. UANSA sees raising awareness and building capacity as
the first steps in controlling and reducing the proliferation
of small arms.
In-country network and capacity-building:
The aim is to expand the UANSA network by including new organisations
and individuals in its activities. The project will also
train members of network organisations to handle small arms
issues, and encourage them to incorporate small arms issues
into their programs and projects.
People with Disabilities Uganda
e-mail: pwd@imul.com
Website: www.pwdu.org
Ugandan Association of Medical Workers for
Health & Environmental Concerns
e-mail: mworozi@imul.com
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| Current Issues |
Bilan de la Violence Armee au Burundi, Oct-Dec 2007
CPD, Juli 2008
Global Week of Action 2008
Events in Africa
Revue de Presse sur la Violence Armée
RODHECIC
Mars - Avril 2008
Construire la paix à la RDC
RECAAL, ensemble pour le désarmement, Avril 2008
Revue de presse sur la violence armée en la RDC
RODHECIC, Mars 08
Étoile d'espoir (Burundi)
Bulletin d'Information, Mai 2008
KANSA Newsletter
April 2008
(Warning: 4MB)
RECSA initiate International Tracing Instrument
April 2008
Rapport du Réseau Burundais
Février 2008
Southern Sudan civil society communiqué Juba, 13.3.08
Kenya: Two MPs shot dead in a week
January 2008
Kenya violence 2008
Messages of solidarity
Bulletin DAGROPASS
27 de Janvier 2008 Kenya: Give peace and dialogue a chance
African Council of Religious Leaders, 2 January 2008
RDC : conférence sur la paix dans les provinces du Kivu
Forum AMANI Janvier 2008 (communiqué de presse)
Formation de BUANSA/ReBAAL
29 de Novembre 2007
Uganda destroys ammunition stocks, Nakasongola, 2 November 2007 - speeches:
Minister of Defence
National Focal Point
Regional Centre given observer status at UN General Assembly, Sixth Committee Resolution, October 2007
Activists call for tougher laws on small weapons, New Vision (Uganda), 31 October 2007
Call for a Peaceful Election Process in Kenya
Chagua AMANI, Zuia Noma Campaign, October 2007
Conflict costs Africa $300 billion since 1990
October 2007
AMANI Forum calls upon leaders, youth and all Kenyans to uphold peace
Nairobi, Kenya
September 2007
Congolese Expert Joins Cameroon Campaign , September 2007
Central Africa confronts small arms problem, September 2007
Civilians under siege in Mogadishu, August 2007
Déclaration sur les elections municipales et législatives sans violences au Cameroun
Declaration for violence-free parliamentary and municipal elections in Cameroon
Week of Action 2007
Events in Africa
Tanzania's President attends Control Arms event
June 2007
Sudan: arms continuing to fuel serious human rights violations in Darfur, May 2007
Nairobi Protocol: Ministerial statement, April 2007
Kenya: Illicit guns go up in smoke
16 March 2007
UN report names countries arming Somalia
Congo: Security concerns over elections
Day for Darfur
27 September 2006
Bulletin «Contrôlez les armes» du Réseau national de Burundi sur les armes légères
Nº2 Août 2006
Message de la Directrice de l'IANSA au nouveau réseau burundais contre les armes à feu
Honouring the victims of the Gatumba Massacre
Tanzania takes important step to reduce gun violence
August 2006
Le désarmement, la démobilisation et la réinsertion des combattants en RD Congo
GRIP, 11 août 2006
Kenya launches Action Plan to reduce gun violence
Bulletin «Contrôlez les armes» du Réseau national de Burundi sur les armes légères
Nº 1 Juillet 2006
Vos armes ont assez fait de victimes: le Gouvernement de la RD Congo ne doit pas se limiter des déclarations d’intentions politiques
Juillet 2006
Projet GRAM- Kivu
Déclaration de la société civile d'Afrique francophone 2006
Week of Action 2006
Events in Central and East Africa
African civil society statement 2006
Guns Out of Control: the continuing threat of small arms
IRIN news special
May 2006
Nairobi Protocol enters into force
Rapport sur les activités d’accompagnement des victimes des violences sexuelles
Janvier- Mars 2006
Projet GRAM- Kivu
Congo-Brazzaville: La destruction d’armes
Communique de presse, ONU
20 Mars 2006
Sudan: The war ends, but the guns remain
Kalonge, Vivre dans la Paix ou dans la Peine?
Rapport sur la situation des Droits Humains à l’Est de la R D Congo
Projet GRAM- Kivu
Periscope
Colonie des Pionniers de Développement CPD
Mars 2006
International Criminal Court arrests Congo warlord
La fin de l’impunité en RD Congo devient une réalité
Communiqué de Presse du Projet GRAM-Kivu
L’accès facile aux armes, un facteur favorisant la violence sexuelle des femmes en temps de conflits au Burundi
Périscope
Colonie des Pionniers de Développement CPD
Mars 2006
The human dimension of the PoA: the key role of Africa
Disarmament Forum
UNIDIR, February 2006
En français
Somalia:
Community safety workshops
Youth Day campaign in Cameroon
Peacewatch
Gled (Somalia)
January 2006
Sudan: Arms embargo violated
February 2006
Periscope
Colonie des Pionniers de Développement CPD
Février 2006
Parliamentary workshop on implementing the Nairobi Protocol
AMANI Forum
December 2005
Violations des droits de l’homme au Congo Kinshasa
CAPD annual report 2005 (DRC)
'No arms to Africa' says UN official
Community safety in Somalia
IANSA member jailed in Burundi released
Press release
(GRIP, en Français - PDF)
Rapport de l'atelier (IFD)
26-27 août 2005 (PDF)
DRC: Arming civilians increases risk of violence
July 2005
Violations of UN arms embargo in Congo
July 2005
G8 arms exports increase poverty
June 2005 |
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| Remembering Dr Béatrice Okoko
Honouring the victims of the Gatumba massacre
Small Arms in Sudan: Tougher UN arms embargo
March 2005
Burundi: Sur le Vif
(Bulletin d'information No 2)
ISHAKA Association (PDF)
Burundi: Sur le Vif
(Bulletin d'information No 1)
ISHAKA Association (PDF)
Burundi: Periscope, Bulletin d’Information CPD
DRC (PDF)
DRC: Humanisme, Bulletin d’Information (No 2, 2005)
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DRC: Humanisme, Bulletin d’Information (No 1, 2005)
DRC (PDF) |
DRC: Katanga militias agree to disarm
IRIN
10 February 2005 |
| Congo: Guns Fuel World's Deadliest Conflict |
Outdated laws as impetus for illicit proliferation of SALW in Cameroon
Cameroon Youth and Students Forum for Peace |
Report on the 2nd annual Civil Society/ NFPs Roundtable Workshop held on 25th&26th, November 2004 at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi
Word Doc: (130kb)
Open Office Doc: (30kb) |
Elections au Burundi: Parier sur la paix
International Crisis Group
9 December 2004 |
Congolese Action Network on Small Arms
Founding Declaration
(English - Word Document)
Founding declaration (French) |
East African Communiqué reaffirms EAANSA
15th October 2004 |
How effective are our firearm laws?
New Vision (Uganda)
22 September 2004 |
Tujuwe Zaide
(Projet Gram-Kivu, newsletter July 2004 - PDF) |
Feuillet d'Information
(CCOAIB, Rwanda, Juillet 2004 - PDF) |
Week of Action Against Small Arms
1 - 10 July 2004 |
| East Africa Unites Against Small Arms |
Human Rights Watch
Rwanda: Lessons Learned
Ten Years After the Genocide |
In
English (pdf 900 kb)
En
Français (pdf 600kb) |
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Focus No 6 October 2003
(PDF Document 270kb) |
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Tackling Small Arms in Central Africa
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| 5th
IPPNW Africa Conference (Word Document in French) |
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Pax Christi
Proliferation
and Illicit Traffic
of SALW in the North East of the DRC |
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