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NGO Statement, 2000 Consultative Group Meeting On Cambodia


 WEAPONS REDUCTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS


NGO Statement to the 2000 Consultative Group Meeting on Cambodia

- Home.................................
- About us.............................
- Message.............................

- Introduction........................
- Progress.............................
- Good Governance................
- Human Resource 
- Development
......................
- Reaching the Poor...............
- Conclusion..........................

Sectoral Papers..................

- Agriculture..........................
- Child’s Rights....................
- Commune Administration 
- and Decentralization
............
- Commune Elections..........
- Disability and Rehabilitation..
- Education............................
- Fisheries.............................
- Forestry Reform..................
- Gender and Development.....
- Good Governance................
- Health................................
- HIV/AIDS...........................
- Human Rights......................
- Landmines..........................
- Land Reform.......................
- Microfinance........................
- Weapons Reduction..........

General NGO Information...


References.........................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Introduction

Cambodia is well known for its scourge of landmines, littering large parts of the country after almost 30 years of internal armed conflict. Less well known is the equally lethal legacy of small arms that accumulated over the decades of fighting and mistrust, fueling the intensity and duration of the prolonged conflict. Today, the overwhelming presence of small arms and their widespread use is one of the many crucial issues that Cambodia must deal with as it emerges as a post-conflict society.

The conditions for action against small arms and light weapons are present. Armed conflict in Cambodia has finally come to an end and a new fragile peace exists. The Royal Government of Cambodia is planning to demobilize a significant number of soldiers back into civilian life. In late 1998 the government initiated a civilian disarmament campaign. The Working Group for Weapons Reduction in Cambodia (WGWR), a coalition of local and international NGOs, is currently addressing the issue of small arms proliferation and use through advocacy, networking, public education and, in the future, monitoring activities. Finally, other players, including the European Union are recognizing the importance of the small arms issue and are initiating short-term projects to boost on-going efforts.

The government weapons collection campaign began with a sub-decree No. 38 issued on April 30, 1999, limiting legal gun ownership to a thin stratum of upper-level civil servants, and police and soldiers on active duty. Weapon sale and use, including shooting clubs, is now forbidden by law. Under the new sub-decree citizens were informed to turn in all weapons with revoked registrations to the local authorities. The government, first through the Municipality of Phnom Penh and later through the Ministry of Interior, announced its intention to collect weapons. As of October 1999, 64,088 weapons were collected from citizens, police, and military warehouses in 22 provinces. As of December 1999, 27,244 collected weapons were destroyed in six public destruction ceremonies. Currently the government is attempting to draft a new gun-control law, replacing Decree No. II dated 2 July 1992.

The Royal Government of Cambodia should take measures to ensure that citizen action for security, for example the People's Protection Movement, is within a framework that increases the rule of law and nonviolent solutions to problems.

Alongside the challenges, opportunities also exist. The government, although lacking in experience and poorly resourced, demonstrates openness to assistance from civil society and the international community. There is an interest in applying lessons learned from international disarmament campaigns to the Cambodian context. The majority of Cambodians support the collection of illegal weapons and believe that disarmament will improve the safety of their families. To be effective, disarmament must be understood as a broader process owned and carried out by members of society at all levels. Through this growing network of interested organizations and individuals, it is possible to work together to begin finding a peaceful solution to the problem of small arms in Cambodia.

KEY ISSUES

  • Re-circulation of Collected Weapons
    When the Ministry of Interior decided to conduct a nation-wide weapons confiscation program in early 1999 it also made a commitment to destroy weapons in periodic provincially based public ceremonies. The majority of the weapons collected were kept in government con- trolled warehouses, however only a fraction of aged weapons, predominantly AK-47's, were destroyed. Given the low capacity, lenient discipline, and insufficient salary of police and soldiers, it is not surprising that many of the weapons collected and stored in government warehouses were illegally sold on the black market and re-circulated.

  • Emphasis on Rule of Law
    The primary focus of the current government disarmament campaign is directed towards curbing criminal activities, specifically robbery, kidnapping, and murder. Although this is a legitimate concern it does not address some of the broader root issues which are a more serious threat to the development of Cambodia. Many Cambodians want to keep weapons to protect themselves not only from criminals but also from government and military authorities who use their position and weapons for their own benefit. In rural areas there are frequent reports of villagers forced from their land by gun-wielding soldiers. Occasionally authorities are even accused of collaborating with criminal elements.

  • Disarmament and Demobilization 
    There are plans pending for the demobilization of up to 55,000 soldiers. The Cambodian Veterans Assistance Program (CVAP), outlining the demobilization plan has inadequate provisions for disarmament. No reference is made to the process by which weapons will be collected from the demobilized soldiers or what the fate of the weapons will be. The lack of clarity accompanied by an apparent schism between the necessarily linked issues of disarmament and demobilization will only exacerbate the problem.

  • Partisan Disarmament
    There is a danger that partisan politics are a determining factor for disarmament in Cambodia. In a climate where politics are deeply divided and mutually suspicious, disarmament can be easily misconstrued or abused to serve individual political interests. Some citizens accuse arms collection teams of being partisan-biased in their efforts. The government must be rigorous in attempts to disarm all persons, regardless of political stance. Proactive steps, such as governmental self-disarmament and discipline, must be taken to restore the confidence of both the general public and opposition political parties who are prone to feeling threatened or targeted during a disarmament process.

  • Need for regional reduction of weapons
    Weapons collection and destruction in and of themselves are not effective means to reduce the number and use of weapons. Trafficking of weapons, in and out of Cambodia's porous border, could undermine any disarmament efforts and therefore must be addressed directly. Critics claim that buying weapons and shipping is easy in countries like Cambodia, where corruption is a widespread practice in law enforcement and customs controls.

RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Public destruction of collected Weapons
    If disarmament is to be effective in Cambodia, public destruction of collected weapons is essential. It is the only guarantee that the weapons will not be re-circulated by trafficking rings within Cambodia and internationally. Cambodian citizens, well aware of the re-circulation of weapons, need visible evidence to assure them that disarmament does not simply remove weapons from the hands of honest citizens. Public destruction of all collected weapons can be an important symbol through which the Cambodian government can encourage public trust in its proper exercise of authority.

  • Address issues of police and military reform and 
    respect for rule of law

    The perceived threat from armed authorities, whether real or exaggerated, is one that seriously undermines the success of all government-initiated weapons collection programs. Citizens are willing to participate in the process only insofar as the roots of national and community insecurity are included in the campaign. Until the government further commits itself to instate the rule of law in Cambodia citizens will either keep their weapons or become victims of those who use violence with impunity. Disarmament therefore, cannot be effectively carried out without addressing the related issues of police and military capacity building, discipline and respect for rule of law.

  • Integrate disarmament as part of the demobilization plan
    Disarmament should be regarded as an integral part of the demobilization plan. Donors should maintain an active role in promoting the proper collection and storage of weapons from demobilized soldiers. Furthermore, collected weapons should be destroyed to strengthen public trust in the disarmament process and ensure that weapons cannot be re-circulated due to insufficient storage facilities and mechanisms. External and independent monitoring is necessary to ensure that disarmament is properly carried out during the demobilization process.

  • Public education and awareness
    Accompanying efforts must also be made to address the culture of violence that is another legacy of Cambodia's decades of internal conflict. Public education and awareness raising can provide Cambodians with an opportunity to likewise deal with their own fears and find common solutions to improving the security in their own communities. The Cambodian government campaign, in its first year of operation has not engaged in any public education thus far. There is a great need for on-going commitment, experience and resources to identify, stop, and reverse the culture of violence commonly witnessed in Cambodia.


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