Firearms amnesty a success says Defence Ministry

Gampaha District tops the list with the most number of surrendered weapons; no firearms from the Northern Province

Authorities claim the two- week general amnesty announced by the Defence Ministry for the surrender of illegal firearms ended in a resounding success last week. While it was estimated that 300-400 firearms would be handed in, the actual figure was more than 400.

According to Defence Ministry statistics, 423 firearms were handed in by 4 p.m. on May 6, half an hour before the two-week general amnesty officially ended. Gampaha district recorded the largest number-100 firearms, the Ministry said.

However, Gampaha District Secretary Sunil Jayalath told the Sunday Times that the number was 136. This included 114 firearms handed over to the Gampaha District Secretariat while the rest were surrendered to Divisional Secretariats and police stations in the district. The discrepancy in the numbers was attributed to some of the reports not reaching the Defence Ministry on time before the final tally was compiled.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera however assured that the final figure would be made public on June 1, once the report on the amnesty was completed.

Commenting on the high number of illegal firearms surrendered in the Gampaha district, compared to Colombo that came in second with 45 firearms ; Mr. Jayalath said their records indicated that many of the surrendered firearms to them had been licensed at one point. “The firearms are mostly those that have changed hands after the death of the original owner; for example, from father to son or from husband to wife,” he said. However, the licences had not been renewed annually after the change in ownership, and were therefore illegal.

Mr. Jayalath said in addition to the firearms that were handed in, the secretariat had received many applications by gun owners to renew their firearms licences. “In this aspect, the amnesty was a great success. We have to remember that even one illegal firearm circulating in society has the potential to be used for destruction,” he emphasised.

Other areas that saw large numbers being surrendered included Kurunegala with 42 firearms, Monaragala 36, Puttalam 34, Ratnapura 21 and Anuradhapura 20.

Interestingly, no firearms were handed in from any of the five districts of the Northern Province, in spite of the three decade-long civil war in the region. In the Eastern Province, excluding Batticaloa district weapons were surrendered in all other districts.

The Government had announced cash rewards to those who surrendered weapons during the amnesty. Muzzle- loading guns and similar firearms including locally made Galkatas and trap guns, carried a reward of Rs.5000 while those handing in pistols and revolvers would be paid Rs.10,000.

According to Defence Ministry statistics, the surrendered arms included 345 muzzle-loading guns, 52 trap guns, four galkatas, three pistols and a revolver.

Eighteen of the firearms were classified under the category of ‘ Other’ by authorities. A Defence Ministry official said this was because those who took charge of the weapons had been unable to identify exactly the type of firearm. “We suspect they were mostly modified firearms manufactured locally.”

Not a single T 56 weapon, for which authorities were offering the highest cash reward of Rs. 25, 000 was handed in during the amnesty.

Some of the firearms that were surrendered to authorities were not in working order. They were decades old, and in the words of one official, “literally falling apart.” This begs the question whether the cash rewards advertised for the return of these firearms could, or should be paid for such weapons.

Brigadier Jayaweera acknowledged that the issue might pose a problem to the authorities when they have to decide whether a firearm was usable or not.

Those surrendering unlicensed firearms would not be paid immediately, a Defence Ministry official clarified. He said the Ministry through a circular, had informed all district secretaries to furnish detailed reports on all firearms surrendered during the amnesty. These reports must be forwarded to the Ministry by June 1. The ministry would study the reports and furnish the necessary funds to pay for the weapons, he said.

About 1000 illegal firearms were thought to be in circulation before the general amnesty, according to authorities. The exact number however, is not known. Police have now launched an operation to track down such firearms that could still be in circulation.

The Defence Ministry meanwhile, has not announced another general amnesty for the surrender of illegal firearms.