Stakeholders Intensify Fight Against Small Arms in W. Africa

MONROVIA -- Stakeholders in the fight against small arms and light weapons in West Africa have ended a one-day retreat at Thinker’s Village along Roberts International Airport (RIA) Highway in Monrovia.

For years, they have been involved in a holistic fight against proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the sub-region.

The day-long Inter-Agency Synergy Retreat was organized by the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LINCSA), in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The day-long interactive retreat brought together members of the National Legislature, the United Nations and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others.

Liberia’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union (EU), Conmany B. Wesseh, said the purpose of the meeting was to formulate and advance methods against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons not only in Liberia but the sub-region in general.

Wesseh told the gathering that the issue of small arms and light weapons was cardinal to stability and maintenance of peace in the sub-region.

He said the proliferation of small arms had contributed to a larger extent to the conflicts in the sub-region.

Making remarks at the occasion, Maryland County Senator, John Ballout, who is also chairman of the Senate’s standing committee on National Security, indicated that the problems in the sub- region with regards to the small arms proliferation are many.

Ballout intimated that current security situation in the West African states of Guinea and the Ivory Coast were increasingly becoming worrisome to the sub-region.

The lawmaker averred that the best way to deal with the proliferation was to start with vigorous sensitization of the peoples in the region about the dangers small arms pose to not only the region but to all of Africa and the rest of the world.

“The best way to disarm anyone is through the disarmament of the minds,” he stated. He also recognized that the anti-small arms campaign would be elusive should the media be left out.

He advised that the message also be disseminated through Liberian legislators as they leave for their agriculture break to their various constituencies.

Liberia’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Olubanke King Akerele, called on the National Legislature to see wisdom in passing into law the draft Act of the LINCSA upon submission.

She said Liberia was a signatory to agreement against small arms and light weapons proliferation, one to which other countries were also a part.

Akerele said the retreat was strategic because it had created a platform for constructive engagements with relevant officials of the government and security services as well as civil society on small arms control with major emphasis on the need to establish a national commission on small arms.

Outlining some basic factors as they relate to causes of small arms proliferation, the Liberian Foreign Minister disclosed that governance and the inequitable distribution of resources which often culminated in coup d'états, ethnic policy and exclusionary practices such as those relating to citizenship, human rights violation and institutional corruption, among others, were responsible.

Akerele pointed out that ECOWAS, of which Liberia is a member, supports the view that conflict prevention, democracy and good governance are closely related and as such, there is a need to establish mechanisms to prevent conflict. She said the move was critical to Liberia and the sub-region.

Meanwhile, the National Legislature is to shortly receive the bill for the establishment of a National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons.