IOM, UNDP Small arms and trade study released

A recent study on Small Arms Availability and Trade in the Republic of Congo says that about 41,000 weapons remain in circulation in the country, down from an estimated 74,000 weapons acquired by rival militias between 1993 and 1999. The study, prepared by the Small Arms Survey (SAS) for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), says the 41,000 weapons thought to be in the possession of militias are scattered throughout the country. However, as a result of progress in the peace process to date, the vast majority of these weapons are not openly carried by their owners, but instead stored in caches whose size varies from small individual to large collective holdings. Geographically, findings indicate that significant concentrations of weapons are located in the capital, Brazzaville, throughout the region of Pool and in key urban centres in the regions of Niari, Lekoumou and Bouenza. In the northern regions of country, SAS reported that preliminary and anecdotal evidence suggests that overall quantities are small and concentrated in the towns of Impfondo, Owando and the environs of Oyo. The study's assessment of the cross-border trade to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gabon and Angola "revealed a pattern of small-time weapons dealers whose activities do not form part of larger networks". In terms of internal trade, SAS found "a strong market for military weapons destined for poaching in the wildlife reserves throughout Congo", with evidence revealing that this trade is "widespread and highly profitable" due to the low prices of weapons (particularly outside Brazzaville) and due to "the relative impunity with which poachers operate". Most weapons are reportedly sold directly from Brazzaville, Impfondo and other regions near wildlife reserves. Between 1993 and 1999, the Republic of Congo experienced three conflicts involving heavily armed militia groups known as the "Cobra", "Cocoye" and "Ninjas". Despite the end of the fighting and the formal disbanding of the militias in late 1999, SAS reported, the vast majority of ex-combatants continue to possess weapons. SAS warned that the "marginalisation [of these of ex-combatants] from society, and the potential for renewed armed violence, constituted serious threats to security and sustainable development" in the country. The joint IOM/UNDP initiative, "Ex-Combatants Reintegration and Weapons Collection Programme" (IOM/UNDP Programme), was launched in July 2000 as "an integrated approach to mitigating the dangers posed by armed and marginalised ex-combatants in the ROC". Although primarily focused on the reintegration of ex-combatants into social and economic life, the programme also collects weapons voluntarily surrendered by the ex-fighters. To date, the project has successfully reintegrated 7,000 ex-combatants, and collected 2,800 small arms and light weapons together with 8,000 grenades and other explosives. To assist the IOM/UNDP Programme, a research team from SAS - a project started in 1999 by the Swiss government, based at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva - http://www.smallarmssurvey.org - was contracted to carry out an independent assessment of small arms availability and trade in the ROC. Over a period of eight weeks, the research team sought to elaborate a global profile of the total number of small arms and light weapons outside of government hands; generate a geographic and demographic profile of the distribution of weapons; assess current proliferation dynamics and a market profile of weapons in the country; and highlight indicators that might usefully measure the impacts of available weapons on security and well-being. The purpose of the study was to directly inform the expansion strategy of the IOM/UNDP Programme by identifying tactical points of intervention and potential obstacles to programme success. For the complete report, go to http://www.reliefweb.int/library/documents/2001/undp-roc-30sep.pdf