SALW recovery programs
Direct small arms and light weapon (SALW) recovery programs have the sole objective of physically taking possession of these weapons, their components, parts and ammunition. The fate of these weapons may vary according to the purpose of the programme, but increasingly these SALW have been destined for destruction. SaferAfrica engages activity with regards to the collection and destruction of SALW. As an organisation, we have engaged in the physical collection and destruction of SALW in Tanzania, Nigeria, Mozambique and Uganda.
Cross border operations
The illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons in our region remains one of the factors that adversely affects peace and stability and ultimately economic development. These arms, which in many cases, are the remnants of various liberation struggles and civil wars are a threat to democracy. These arms are used by criminals to commit violent crimes such as car hi-jackings, robberies and murders. In addition arms are smuggled from one country to the next and are used in conflicts in other regions.
As a result of this the SARPCCO Police Chiefs issued a historic declaration during the SARPCCO AGM of 1998 calling on SADC to institute a mechanism for the regional control of small arms and light weapons. The decision to proceed in this direction was taken at the SADC Heads of State Summit of Windhoek in March 2001 and the SADC Protocol was created by the SARPCCO Legal Subcommittee. The Protocol was signed in Blantyre, Malawi in August 2001 and came into force in July 2004.
In terms of Article 15(c) of the SADC Protocol state parties are encouraged to establish appropriate mechanisms for cooperation among law enforcement agencies of the State Parties to promote effective implementation of the Protocol. These include the establishment of multi-disciplinary law enforcement units for preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit manufacturing of firearms, ammunition and other related materials and their excessive and destabilizing accumulation, trafficking, possession and use.
Latest initiatives
At the 7th Annual General Meeting of SARPCCO under Resolution 5, the Police Chiefs urged that the SADC Protocol be implemented. As a result a decision was taken by the SARPCCO Training Sub-Committee that South Africa chairs a task team comprising Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zambia to develop training curricula for cross-border operations and the destruction of firearms. This task team met on a number of occasions and the training curricula was developed. The Pilot Course on Illegal Firearms and Cross-Border Operations was held during September 2005 and attended by 24 SARPCCO police officers and by 2 police officers from the DRC. This Pilot course represents the culmination of three years of planning and hard work on the part of SARPCCO. The second official course occured in September 2006, again in South Africa.
SaferAfrica has been involved in Operation Rachel since 2002 by financially supporting Rachel IX, X, XI and XII. SaferAfrica has also financially supported the SARPCCO Cross Border training and assisted with the development, layout and printing of the training curriculum. SaferAfrica also presented module 1 of the training curriculum.
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