A Report on the Infiltration of Small Arms in the East African Region

A REPORT ON THE INFILTRATION OF SMALL ARMS IN THE EAST AFRICAN REGION

TORs

1. To establish the underlying and immediate causes of small arms circulation in East Africa
2. To present the threats that small arms pose to the region
3. To provide constructive suggestions on how to tackle the problem of small arms

1. To establish the underlying and immediate causes of small arms circulation in East Africa

The United Nations General Assembly defines “small arms and light weapons” as any portable lethal weapon that expels or launches, is designed to expel or launch, or may be readily converted to expel or launch a shot, bullet or projectile by the action of an explosive (Heinrich, 2006). According to Best Practice Guidelines for the Implementation of the Nairobi Declaration and Nairobi Protocol on Small Arms and Light Weapons, small arms are weapons designed for personal use and shall include: light machine guns, including machine pistols, fully automatic rifles and assault rifles and semi-automatic rifles ((UNDP), 2016).

Firearms include any portable barreled and lethal weapon that is designed to expel or may be readily converted to expel a shot, bullet or projectile by the action of burning propellant, excluding antique firearms or their replicas. Any device which may be readily converted to a weapon as referred to above or destructive device such as an explosive bomb, incendiary bomb or gas bomb, grenade, rocket launcher, missiles, missile system or mine (Buchanan, 2008).

Buchanan (2008) further defines ammunition as the complete round or its components, parts or replacement parts of a small arm or light weapon, provided that those components are themselves subject to authorization of the respective State party; and Other related materials: Any components, part or spare parts of a small arm or light weapon, that are essential to its operation.

Generally, “small arms” refer to weapons meant for individual use, including revolvers and self-loading pistols, rifles and carbines, sub-machine guns, assault rifles and light machine guns. Light weapons are portable weapons designed for use by several persons serving as a crew: heavy machine guns, automatic cannons, howitzers, mortars of less than 100mm caliber, grenade launchers, anti-tank weapons and launchers, recoilless guns, shoulder fired rockets, anti-aircraft weapons and launchers, and air defence weapons ( (International Crisis Group, 2006).When compared to other major weapon systems, small arms are cheap, easily accessible, simple to operate, portable and easy to repair or replace. In addition, they are easily acquired and used in armed conflict by both state and non-state actors. Above all they are highly lethal. According to the United Nations (2002), around 640 million such weapons are estimated to be in circulation around the world, many of which are not government controlled. Although they are used for legitimate national defence and security needs, they are also used by rebels, irregular armed groups, terrorist and criminal gangs.