Keeping unlicensed weapon does not deserve sacrifice

Security is dearest hope for every human being around the globe, and it is the cradle of all political, development and social fields. There is no doubt that achieving security does not come through words or wishes, but through an integrated social action in which all members of the society participate to achieve it along with private and official entities as well as NGOs.

There are no two persons who differ that the criminal phenomena in the society or carrying out illegal actions for any reasons are violations of public order, which is the law. The family here has a major role in fighting it to protect its children, but unfortunately, turning a blind eye to what their children are doing has negative results, starting with the family and ending with the country, which lost an element who was supposed to be a constructive, not a destructive tool of his country.

Complying with the law is not limited to citizens only, but those responsible for implementing the law have a major responsibility to comply with the law and not be abusive during their security missions, and this is what Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled pointed to during his meeting with security leaders. His emphasis was on not accepting any egoistic action or violation, and not discriminating during the implementation of the law, and more importantly to hold the delinquent to account within the preparations to implement the weapons collection law which gave a four-year grace period to anyone who hands over unlicensed weapons to security authorities without being punished.

This confirmation from the top person who is responsible for security provides confidence and positive cooperation between the citizen and police officers, and in exchange, the citizen must comply with the law and listen to security instructions, especially those related the importance of responding to the upcoming security invitation to introduce the weapons collection law to hand over any arms, ammunition and unlicensed explosives during the legal grace period, so that they do not face legal action under the law, which was sought for a long time.

Thanks to the executive and legislative authorities for issuing it to protect the country and citizens, and we have positive examples from the previous weapons collection experience in how security authorities deal with implementing the law. The successful management at that time was represented by Maj Gen Adbulhamid Al-Awadhi and Maj Gen Mahmoud Al-Tabbakh, along with media awareness campaigns that went along with it.

The truth is that the law guarantees the citizen to get a license for a weapon for personal use, hunting and purchasing suitable ammunition with simple administrative procedures, but what we notice, with regret, is the tilt towards violating the law by keeping unlicensed weapons, and the spread of unlicensed automatic weapons, and in fact showing off with them on social media in a challenge to law authorities in particular and the society in general, and this is because of indifference and lack of appreciation of repercussion.

I am sure that the security information department with its Director Brig Adel Al-Hashash is able to manage the media campaign concerning this law. We hope that a hotline is designated along with a specific place for receiving weapons, so that everyone knows where to go with his unlicensed weapon. Other bodies should be aware of their role, such as cooperative societies, in printing awareness slogans on their bags as well as phone numbers of security departments that will receive unlicensed weapons. Private satellite channels have a role in showing flash ads, and NGOs should urge their members to respond to the weapons collection law, in addition to telecommunications companies to send their subscribers messages.

We hope with this law, all people will realize the repercussions of possessing unlicensed weapon, and we do not want the grace period to end without having everyone who has an unlicensed weapon hand it over, and this is what we expect from every citizen who has a degree of awareness to avoid spending years in prison. This will result in dismantling of families and loss of children, so keeping an unlicensed weapon does not deserve all this sacrifice.

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Thanks to the executive and legislative authorities for issuing it to protect the country and citizens, and we have positive examples from the previous weapons collection experience in how security authorities deal

with implementing the law.