Victims as Security Threats: Refugee Impact on Host State Security in Africa by Edward Mogire

Author:Edward Mogire [Mogire, Edward]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, General
ISBN: 9781317002260
Google: MdmqCwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2016-03-03T05:06:33+00:00

The Scope of the SALW Problem

There are no reliable data on the exact number of SALW, let alone illicit ones, in circulation globally. This is primarily due to the lack of transparency by states about SALW production, holdings, trade, legislation and use. According to the Small Arms Survey (2001), ‘more is known about the number of nuclear warheads, stocks of chemical weapons and transfers of major conventional weapons than about small arms’. The clandestine nature of the trade in and transfer of illicit SALW makes their estimation notably difficult. This notwithstanding, authoritative sources estimate the global number of SALW to be at least 875 million, with the majority being in private hands, that is, outside government monopoly of possession and use (Small Arms Survey 2007).

There is no record of the exact number of licit and/or illicit SALW in circulation in Kenya and Tanzania. Both countries are nonetheless considered major destinations and transit points for the illicit SALW trade in Africa, with Kenya appearing to be more affected. According to the US Department of State (2001), the illegal arms problem in Kenya has reached ‘crisis proportions’. Moreover, Stephen ole Mpesha, Kenya’s Chief Firearms Licensing Officer, also stated that the number of illicit firearms circulating in the country is ‘quite high’ and ‘has reached uncontrollable proportions’ (Daily Nation 14 February 2001). In another report Mpesha has noted that ‘seventy-five percent of the country is awash with illicit arms’ (Mpesha 2000: 17). Although the whole country is affected by the illicit firearms problem, major cities, especially Nairobi and the whole northern region, are more affected. A small-arms expert in the Department of Defence estimated that 40,000 illicit firearms were circulating in North-Eastern Kenya (Hussein 2001). In the words of a local MP, ‘illegal arms are so common that guns are being used like walking sticks ... Every community owns guns’ (Daily Hansard 26 June 1996). Additionally, the police estimated that by 2001 there were 9,000 illicit firearms in circulation in north-west Kenya. Independent sources put the figure much higher at more than 20,000 (Opala 2001). By mid 2000 security forces were recovering between 1,800 and 2,000 illicit firearms per month in Nairobi (Kizito 2001: 2), while black marketeers were selling about 11,000 guns annually (US Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs 2001). Current government estimates put the number of illicit firearms in circulation at over 100,000 (BBC 15 March 2007).

The large amount of illicit firearms seized from criminals, voluntarily surrendered or recovered in forced disarmament exercises is indicative of the illicit SALW. In the 1990s, Kenyan security forces recovered about 10,000 illegal firearms, including pistols, revolvers, rifles, sub-machine guns, heavy machine guns and even bazookas, from criminals (IANSA 2002). Between 2003 and 2009, Kenya destroyed a total of 22,533 illicit firearms (Regional Centre on Small Arms 2007, BBC 15 March 2007, Ali 2009) (Table 6.1).

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