The Control of the Use and Commercialization of Small Arms and Light Weapons

Objective

Development of processes for the control and sensibilization of small arms and light weapons in Ecuador, as well as the monitoring, training, and creation of a legislation in accord with international norms, as a way to create a culture of peace and nonviolence in Ecuador.

Development

In recent years, Ecuador has found itself caught up in a series of conflicts related to the use and control of light arms, increasing the level of social conflict within the country.   These conflicts would be entirely preventable if there were more control on the part of the groups responsible for this activity, which would lessen the amount of violence we are currently seeing.  
 
This lack of control is evident by the endless number of explosions which have occurred inside military headquarters and precincts, which have consequences for the military population and above all, the civilian population.   Just within the last two years, there have been five very serious explosions, which resulted in the tragic deaths of fifty people, both military and civilian, as well as causing extensive material damage.
 
These explosions clearly demonstrate a lack of control.   For example, the National Congress is currently investigating the explosion of aresenals in the city of Riobamba, which has been suspected of covering up the existence of the illegal selling of arms.   Another example of the lack of control is demonstrated by the fact that on various occasions, weapons of the guerrillas of the FARC in Colombia have been found to be the weapons belonging to the Ecuadorian Army.  In the city of Sucumbios, on the border with Colombia , the local population has knowledge that the guerrillas and paramilitaries supply themselves with arms from the border of Ecuador.
 
On the other hand, common delinquents have been found in possession of arms and weapons belonging to the police and army, demonstrating that illegal armed groups and criminals can easily obtain weapons belonging to the police.   This example is evidence of the complete lack of armament control and corruption within the government.
 
Of the existing 55,000 private security guards, approximately 15,000 are legally registered.   The remainder are not registered and so are found armed without any control over their weapons.   It has already been shown that the army has no control, and taking into account that the people that enroll in this type of work are citizens with little education, it is only the businesses employing them which provide short courses to learn weapon handling.
 
Human rights organizations have denounced the existence of paramilitary groups, those who have been created to control crime and delinquency, mainly in the countryside to dispel the robbing of cattle.   It must be said that, in Colombia, the paramilitary (self-defense) groups were created with the same reason in mind, to defend the landowners from the criminal groups.
 
Right now in Ecuador , a centralized organization that is responsible for the control of light arms does not exist, though the law has established that the General Command of the Armed Forces should carry out the control of light weapons.   However, this same law promotes the decentralization of the control to different agencies, which thus impedes the advancement of true control of weapons within Ecuador to be carried out fully.
 
Though the Armed Forces has a process for the elimination of light arms, no mechanism exists so that civil society organizations can actively participate in the witness of these procedures that currently control light arms.
 
Though armament control legislation exists within Ecuador, the law has not incorporated the recommendations of the Plan of Action in its actual usage, control, and elimination of light arms.   The national legislation needs to be adapted according to the international agreements Ecuador has signed concerning light arms with international organizations such as the Organization of American States and the United Nations.
 
In the same manner, the police have never opened public discussion so that society may know and participate in the discussion, and neither has civil society called for such an effort, and so ignorance is the result of these failed possibilities to exercise true citizenship in this respect.
 
It is necessary that documented information exists so that society knows the international procedures for the control of light arms.   This information should be readily available in popular manuals and should be distributed to organizations within civil society so that they may promote citizen awareness and caution.
 
We recommend that the armament control laws be brought up to the standards recommended in the Plan of Action, which permits us to adapt the internal legislation.   This national legislation should incorporate the participation of civil society for the control of light arms.

SERPAJ-Ecuador has earned experiences in investigation and research, in themes related to peace, human rights, and militarization.   We are the organization responsible for the investigation of landmines within Ecuador , monitoring the impacts of Plan Colombia within our borders, and have carried out investigations related to cultural, social, and economic rights amongst others.  
 
We have carried out important work in the National Congress surrounding themes of militarization, presenting the law of conscientious objection and civil service and the law in defense of small towns against the crimes of humanity and other legal reforms around the issues of human rights.   This experience permits us to have knowledge of the processes for the approval of laws of this nature.
 
In this sense, SERPAJ-Ecuador has the necessary experience to complete research and investigations around the issues of lights weapons, and is committed to the mission that society be demilitarized more and more each day so that we may construct a culture of peace based on justice and equality.