Sri Lanka: Amend Century Old Fire Arms Ordinance

A report published in March 2008 titled “Survey Report on the Prevalence of Illicit Small Arms in Sri Lanka”, revealed the difficulty in estimating the exact amount of illegal fire arms in circulation in Sri Lanka, and the destruction to the well-being of the society at large by this illegal expansion.

This report indicated the detection of 13,000 Small Arms by the Police in the decade ending in the year 2008. People believe that the number of illegal fire arms is much larger and that it is a serious threat to society.

The Web sites of the Police, Defence Ministry and also the reports in the media reveals the increase in the use of illicit Fire Arms in Sri Lanka. It has become a threat to Human Security and the sustainability of the society at large. This effects the people in the south, as well as the people in the North and East, especially the people who had settled down after the war.

When the scope of human security is examined in a wider perspective, the control of illegal Fire Arms becomes an important and urgent need of society.The control of illegal Small Arms becomes much linked to the right to life than one of national security.
It was in year 2001, the United Nation’s General Assembly passed the resolution related to the “Firearms Protocol”. In this process, Sri Lanka as a member nation of the UN System, not only supported the resolution, but also tirelessly worked in various committees for the success of this resolution. This Protocol became operational from the year 2005.

This UN document is the only International Document available to address (these) the issues of Illicit Fire Arms. By endorsing this Convention officially (by) Sri Lanka is bound to make the necessary laws in Sri Lanka to address the guidelines stated in the UN Convention. In addition, Sri Lanka voted for the Project formulated to implement the contents of the UN Convention on Small Arms and also we became the first country in Asia appoint a Presidential Commission on Control of Fire Arms.

When looking at this grave problem within this background, the need to amend the existing Fire Arms Ordinance and to replace its outdated clauses has become a necessity. We note that this Ordinance was first enacted in Sri Lanka in the year 1916. The last amendment was made in the year 1996.

In 2006, an Expert Committee was established by Legal Draftsman's Department to examine and prepare amendments to the Fire arms Act. The recommendations of this committee were approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in early 2007 and was referred to the Attorney General’s Department to prepare the necessary amendments to the Fire Arms Act to bring in these amendments to Parliament.

Nothing further has been noted regarding the status of the proposed amendments. This document was forwarded at that time with a “Special Message from the Secretary for Defence” with a request for speedy implementation of these amendments to the Fire Arms Act.

And last but not least Action For Peace and Human Rights [APHR] a voluntary Civil Society Organization launched this On line Petition during the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence [JUNE 13-19th] bring the attention of the peace loving peoples attention and request the support to advocate the need of revising the century old Firm Arm Ordinance.