What impact do small arms and light weapons (SALW) have on the Hambantota district of Sri Lanka? What capacity does the state have to control illegal weapons more effectively? This report from the National Commission Against the Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms (NCAPISA) and Saferworld outlines the findings and recommendations of a pilot SALW survey carried out in Hambantota. It examines the distribution of SALW and their impact on safety, security, development and governance, and the capacity of the state to control them.
There is widespread illegal possession of home-made guns (galkatas), muzzle-loading guns and shot guns in Hambantota. The firearms homicide rate is more than double that of the rest of the country. Organised crime with links to politicians is seen as a catalyst for armed violence, with activities including contract killings, vendettas, drug dealing and armed robbery. Misuse of firearms also occurs in relation to slash and burn cultivation, cattle farming, illegal logging and disputes over land and other entitlements. Army deserters are seen as being involved in supplying high-powered weapons, and males aged 18-35 appear to be predominant victims and perpetrators of armed violence.
The police need to work to foster community relations and reduce violence using preventative methods. Public suggestions for improving policing include more police patrols, community involvement in dispute resolution and better mechanisms for ensuring fair distribution of resources. Further findings in regard to state capacity to control SALW in Hambantota include:
- The public feel let down by the the current system’s lack of efficiency in punishing serious offences. Problems with the capacity of the law and justice sector highlight the need for improvements in the investigation and prosecution of serious offences.
- There is a need for greater control of weapons issued to politicians, fines for failure to renew licenses and greater coordination in license application processes.
- Amnesty initiatives have failed to gain attention or had limited uptake due to lack of trust and perceptions of insecurity.
- Security of weapons stocks could be improved by fitting robust, dual-locking doors and routinely storing weapons out of view. A maximum time should be established after which weapons in the vault at the District Secretariat must be destroyed.
- The lack of an accurate electronic database of government holdings and weapons unaccounted for hinders development of knowledge and policy. It is also an obstacle to preventing loss of institutional memory when personnel change.
Recommendations for reducing the spread and impact of SALW in Hambantota include:
- increasing effectiveness in collecting and destroying used cartridge cases from all authorised gun users, since refilled empty cartridges are a source of ammunition for criminals;
- tackling the root causes of demand for weapons, including poverty, lack of opportunities, disputes resulting from administrative malpractice, mistrust of the police and criminal behaviour;
- reducing criminality among army deserters through more effective preventive policing and reintegration initiatives, and improved treatment and recognition of army personnel;
- implementing a more effective system for warning and penalising potential offenders, alongside efforts to provide attractive alternatives to firearms misuse and a criminal lifestyle; and
- preventing high-powered weapons from entering circulation by identifying and closing loopholes in the system for checking service personnel travelling from areas of military operations.
The full text of the report is available in English, Sinhala and Tamil at: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/publications.php/254/hambantota
