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States should have own small arms plans - Mahita
2005-09-24 08:24:03
By Pacifique Nkeshimana
The implementation of international, regional and sub-regional instruments on control of illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons should not be limited at regional or sub-regional cooperation, but individual member states are duty bound to establish their national action plans.
This is according to the presentation paper by the Tanzania Inspector General of Police (IGP), Omari Iddi Mahita titled ’’African Response to the Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons’’ at the 74th session of the Interpol general assembly held in Berlin, Germany from 19t to 22nd of this month. This paper was circulated yesterday in Dar es Salaam.
’’Awareness of the far-reaching impacts of armed conflicts on development is critical for policy makers and development experts in Africa, Mahita said in his paper, adding ’’It demands a new outlook to development planning which endorses a commitment to enhance human security as a basis for sustainable development.
This acknowledges the view that development cannot be reached unless security of the targeted persons is addressed.’’
Mahita said there is no dispute that the African continent has been suffering from the effect of illicit proliferation, trafficking, trade and use of small arms and light weapons for decades.
’’Africa has been ravaged by many conflicts and these conflicts have peaked since the 1990s.
Most of these wars were internal conflicts and virtually all were fought primarily by small arms and light weapons,’’ Mahita added.
The Tanzania police chief also said small arms have destroyed countless lives and property and continue to cause casualties and suffering to civilian populations of the continent.
’’Small arms are responsible for escalating and sustaining conflict. They abet terrorism, cattle rustling and other serious crimes,’’ Mahita said, adding that the arms pose a threat to political stability, disrupt economic activity and hinder development.
’’According to UNDP, in sub Saharan Africa alone more than 20 per cent of the continent’s population was directly affected by civil wars during the 1990s,’’ Mahita said.
He added: ”Devastating internal conflicts in Angola, Burundi, Guinea Bisau, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Liberia, Siera Leone, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda claimed the lives of millions of innocent civilians and destroyed the livelihoods of tens of millions more across the entire sub-regions.’’
Meanwhile, referring to the current increase of armed robberies in the city of Dar es Salaam yesterday, Tanzania’s police spokesperson, Aden Mwamunyange, has issued a statement informing the public about the new emergency numbers to call the Police. He mentioned them as 2194401 and 2194402.
He added: ’’Those two numbers are much significant since they are for urgent situations. In case of crime incidents people can use them to communicate with the Police’s ’Control Room’.’’
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