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Surrendered weapons are collected to be thrown overboard off Honiara, the Solomon Islands, J une 2002.

Figure 6 Surrendered weapons are collected to be thrown overboard off Honiara, the Solomon Islands, J une 2002.

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Over 2,000 weapons are thrown into the sea off Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, J une 2002.
Over 2,000 weapons are thrown into the sea off Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, J une 2002.
Surrendered weapons being burned in the Solomon Islands, J une 2002.
Surrendered weapons being burned in the Solomon Islands, J une 2002.
*Members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Nations surveyed
*Members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Nations surveyed
Source: Federation of American Scientists (2002) Table 2.1. US small arms and ammunition export licence approvals, Pacific, 1998-2000
Source: Federation of American Scientists (2002) Table 2.1. US small arms and ammunition export licence approvals, Pacific, 1998-2000
Source: Marsh (2003)
Source: Marsh (2003)
Civilian ownership in the French territories is difficult to verify. In 2002, a newspaper in Noumea reported that over 19,000 firearms had been sold by New Caledonia’s licensed dealers since 1968, suggesting an ownership ratio as high as one gun for every 12 citizens (Tiphagne, 2002). In French Polynesia, US export licence statistics reviewed earlier suggest a minimum of 610 civilian firearms exist; however, since ammunition worth USD 711,000 was approved for import in 2000, it is apparent that many more guns are in circulation.
Civilian ownership in the French territories is difficult to verify. In 2002, a newspaper in Noumea reported that over 19,000 firearms had been sold by New Caledonia’s licensed dealers since 1968, suggesting an ownership ratio as high as one gun for every 12 citizens (Tiphagne, 2002). In French Polynesia, US export licence statistics reviewed earlier suggest a minimum of 610 civilian firearms exist; however, since ammunition worth USD 711,000 was approved for import in 2000, it is apparent that many more guns are in circulation.
Table 3.1. Homicide, robbery, and assault in Pacific states, 1997-2001*
Table 3.1. Homicide, robbery, and assault in Pacific states, 1997-2001*
A year after the coup, the Fijian tourism industry appeared to be recovering, and the Fiji government was confidently forecasting that visitor arrivals in 2003 would surpass the record of 410,000 set in 1999 (Fiji Bureau of Statistics, 2001b). Yet almost two years later, employment figures for the tourism accommodation industry were still 5.2 per cent lower than they had been just prior to the outbreak of the conflict (Fiji Bureau of Statistics, cited in the Fiji Times, 2002, p. 35).
A year after the coup, the Fijian tourism industry appeared to be recovering, and the Fiji government was confidently forecasting that visitor arrivals in 2003 would surpass the record of 410,000 set in 1999 (Fiji Bureau of Statistics, 2001b). Yet almost two years later, employment figures for the tourism accommodation industry were still 5.2 per cent lower than they had been just prior to the outbreak of the conflict (Fiji Bureau of Statistics, cited in the Fiji Times, 2002, p. 35).
Deficiencies in statistics aside, the incidence of crime in Port Moresby is still considerably higher than anywhere else in the country. Port Moresby records more than 50 per cent of all serious crimes and 46 per cent of all urban street crimes reported in Papua New Guinea (Sikani, 2000, p. 40). Robberies and attacks in Port Moresby have hit unprecedented levels in recent years (UN, 2001). Shoot-outs between criminal gangs and police are regularly reported. Authorities have certainly noted an increase in crimes committed with the use of firearms in recent years (UNDP and Government of PNG, 1999, p. 136). However, in the absence of hard data, the only reasonable certainty at this stage is that the firearm offences tend to track the overall crime rate (see Figure 3.2).
Deficiencies in statistics aside, the incidence of crime in Port Moresby is still considerably higher than anywhere else in the country. Port Moresby records more than 50 per cent of all serious crimes and 46 per cent of all urban street crimes reported in Papua New Guinea (Sikani, 2000, p. 40). Robberies and attacks in Port Moresby have hit unprecedented levels in recent years (UN, 2001). Shoot-outs between criminal gangs and police are regularly reported. Authorities have certainly noted an increase in crimes committed with the use of firearms in recent years (UNDP and Government of PNG, 1999, p. 136). However, in the absence of hard data, the only reasonable certainty at this stage is that the firearm offences tend to track the overall crime rate (see Figure 3.2).
Table 4.1. Civilian firearm ownership and prohibitions in the Pacific
Table 4.1. Civilian firearm ownership and prohibitions in the Pacific
ible 4,2. ‘Genuine reason’: A snapshot of Pacific definitions
ible 4,2. ‘Genuine reason’: A snapshot of Pacific definitions
Table 4.3. Firearm marking requirements in Pacific states
Table 4.3. Firearm marking requirements in Pacific states
In contrast, most other Pacific states currently have only very rudimentary import and export controls, and many do not stipulate any controls at all (see Table 4.4, below). Several have some restrictions on imports, but none on exports. Penalties for illegal importation, if they exist at all, vary enormously (see Table 4.5, below). This is one of the key areas where harmonization seems essential if a uniform regional deterrent to trafficking is to be established.
In contrast, most other Pacific states currently have only very rudimentary import and export controls, and many do not stipulate any controls at all (see Table 4.4, below). Several have some restrictions on imports, but none on exports. Penalties for illegal importation, if they exist at all, vary enormously (see Table 4.5, below). This is one of the key areas where harmonization seems essential if a uniform regional deterrent to trafficking is to be established.
Table 4.5. Selected penalties for firearm offences in the Pacific
Table 4.5. Selected penalties for firearm offences in the Pacific
able 4.5. Selected penalties for firearm offences in the Pacific (continued) *Dates in brackets indicate age of most recent legislation, revision, or regulation. Otherwise, penalties are as of 2002. The value of a penalty unit in the Australian Capital Territory, for example, is: Individual— AUD 100, corporation—AUD 500. Currencies are local.
able 4.5. Selected penalties for firearm offences in the Pacific (continued) *Dates in brackets indicate age of most recent legislation, revision, or regulation. Otherwise, penalties are as of 2002. The value of a penalty unit in the Australian Capital Territory, for example, is: Individual— AUD 100, corporation—AUD 500. Currencies are local.
>ource: BPMG (2002c) ‘Total registered as contained - does not reflect weapons removed from containment + Status at 24/10/2002 - reflects weapons removed from containment Table 5.2. Weapon containment progress by district at 24 October 2002
>ource: BPMG (2002c) ‘Total registered as contained - does not reflect weapons removed from containment + Status at 24/10/2002 - reflects weapons removed from containment Table 5.2. Weapon containment progress by district at 24 October 2002
Source: Solomon Islands IPMT, J uly 2001
Source: Solomon Islands IPMT, J uly 2001
Figure 5.1. Solomon Islands weapon surrenders by month, November 2000-J uly 2001 As might be expected, given that the MEF had sourced most of its arms from the police armoury, most military firearm surrenders occurred in Malaita, while most of the home-made firearms surrendered during this period came from Gualese ex-combatants.
Figure 5.1. Solomon Islands weapon surrenders by month, November 2000-J uly 2001 As might be expected, given that the MEF had sourced most of its arms from the police armoury, most military firearm surrenders occurred in Malaita, while most of the home-made firearms surrendered during this period came from Gualese ex-combatants.
Source: Solomon Islands IPMT, J uly 2001 Table 5.4. Weapons surrenders by area, November 2000-J uly 2001
Source: Solomon Islands IPMT, J uly 2001 Table 5.4. Weapons surrenders by area, November 2000-J uly 2001
Source: Solomon Islands IPMT, J uly 2001 Table 5.5. Estimation of missing high-powered police firearms at 22 J une 2001
Source: Solomon Islands IPMT, J uly 2001 Table 5.5. Estimation of missing high-powered police firearms at 22 J une 2001
Source: Solomon Islands IPMT, J uly 2002
Source: Solomon Islands IPMT, J uly 2002
Table 6.1. The draft Nadi Framework: A comparison of selected penalties Source: Nadi Framework, second draft; various Pacific laws as given in Section IV, Appendix 1
Table 6.1. The draft Nadi Framework: A comparison of selected penalties Source: Nadi Framework, second draft; various Pacific laws as given in Section IV, Appendix 1
Related topics:
Reducing Firearms ViolenceArmed ViolenceFirearm injury preventionFirearm PolicyArmed Violence Reduction
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