By Edward Vamboi
The Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms(SLANSA) joined the International Action Network on Small Arms(IANSA) and its members to observe the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence on the 3rd June 2021.
According to Adenike Cole, the Sierra Leone Coordinator of Action Network on Small Arms, during a Press Conference that was held at the CCSL Hall the 31st May to 4th June is celebrated worldwide by IANSA and its members as the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence.
She disclosed that this year’s call to “Make Your Voice Heard – Unite Against Gun Violence” aims to acknowledge and continue the decades of collective action that the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence was built on.
The Coordinator furthered that leading up to the Seventh Biennial Meeting of States (BMS7) on the UN Programme of Action (UNPoA), they are encouraging members and advocates to make their voices heard against gun violence.
“Proliferation of arms and lax regulations continue to endanger our communities and more specifically women,” she underscored adding that during the week`s campaign they wish to strengthen their collaborative approaches to collectively advocate for more effective regulation of guns and ammunition.
Adenike Cole intimated that expanding their mandate process of being ATT compliant is to become fully decentralized so that they have physical presence not only at the regions but also at the district level in order to capture details of all craft producers and hunters as well as others that will be illegally holding weapons.
She also stated that their objectives include disarming domestic violence in order to step up measures in the fight against domestic .gender based violence, to have more voices in finding solutions to gun violence maintaining that every voice is important saying adding one’s voice can make the difference.
She also pointed out that support survivors of gun violence by ensuring the full implementation of the TRC Report which includes the establishment of a fund for war victims to address the needs of amputee and war wounded maintaining that they are the people with the tangible evidences of the war.
The Coordinator added that as SLANSA joins IANSA and other CSOs working in communities towards achieving peace and security, human rights and sustainable development they acknowledge that gun violence is a highly gendered phenomenon that affects men, women, boys and girls in different ways .
According to her, men constitute the majority of the owners and users of small arms noting that the majority of perpetrators and victims of gun violence are young men.
She said in conflict and post conflict situations sexual violence against women and girls perpetrated by armed violence is an unending scourge.
“SLANSA has climaxed the Global Week of Action with the Wear Orange campaign,” she revealed adding that it is a grassroots movement that began after the shooting of the 15-year old Hadiya Pendleton in 2013 in the American city of Chicago.
She told newsmen that Hadiya Pendleton was a bright and talented teenager who sung at the second inauguration of President Barack Obama just two weeks earlier.
The Coordinator narrated that her family members and friends initiated the Wear Orange Campaign on June 2, which was the deceased birthday, to remember her, to raise awareness of the suffering of ordinary people caused by gun violence, and to call for an end to it.
“The campaign message is simple, we need a safe future free from gun violence during the decade long war and even after Sierra Leone had got many Hadiyas, people who have lost their lives as a result of the misuse of a gun,” she stated.
Adenike called on the Government to adequately support the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms so they can effectively and efficiently execute their tasks.
“We therefore ask authorities to increase their budget allocations so they will be financially and otherwise capable to deliver,” she appealed maintaining that if guns are in the hands of the wrong people development will not thrive, children will not go to school.
She stated how they are encouraging Government to ensure an increase in women`s effective participation in policy making, planning and implementation processes related to small arms and light weapons.
The Coordinator said they are admonishing young people, as society`s most treasured assets, to use their energies positively in order to have a peaceful and just society.
“We call upon our Security forces, to be mindful of the rules of engagement as we want to see a more cordial relationship between uniformed personnel and the citizens,” she further appealed further calling upon politicians to be civil in their campaign and political drives adding how the slogan should be ballots not bullets.
She also called upon all States in the MRU/ECOWAS/Africa Union and Worldwide to strengthen their collective efforts to advance peace, security and human rights.
Olivia Victoria Davies Ajax, National Project Coordinator for the UNDP’s component of the ECOWAS Project, Organized Crime West African Response to Trafficking (OCWAR-T) extended her gratitude to SLANSA for their effective collaboration with international institutions, the United Nations and regional bodies as well as local Civil Society Organization in fighting against gun violence and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
She maintained that the Global Action Week is a very important week as they are sending a very strong voice and a very strong message about the issue of the dangers of gun violence.
Olivia Victoria Davies Ajax said OCWAR-T, which stands for Organized Crime West Africa Response to Trafficking, is a broader regional initiative that has four different components with the first having to do with the issues of trafficking stating that the OCWAR-T Project is working with all its relevant partners like the European Union, the German Federation Government , SLANSA and GIZ , which are all supporting the efforts geared towards addressing issues of trafficking including human as well gun trafficking.
She called on all Sierra Leoneans to unite against violence using guns and to put a stop against their illegal use to make Sierra Leone a better and safer place.
Yvonne. M. Heroe , an official of the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms intimated that the institution was established by an Act of Parliament to control the proliferation, manufacturing, sale ,possession and use of small arms and light weapons and other related materials in Sierra Leone.
She said it is important to educate, sensitize the public and provide information on the dangers associated with the illicit manufacturing, trade and use of small arms and light weapons.
“We want to also ensure that the obligations of ECOWAS are complied with as well as establish and maintain an arm register for transition to the ECOWAS Secretariat,” she informed adding that they are working assiduously as a Commission to ensure that illegal weapons are being controlled and restricted nationwide.
She disclosed that quite recently they conducted a national survey for local gun manufactures in the country to ensure that they access accurate statistics related to small arms in the country.
