Topic: Illicit Trade in Small Arms
Country: Malawi
Delegate Name: Meredith Assaly
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Malawi position papers GLIMUN 2009 committees
Within the country of Malawi, crime and torture are common adversities that the government is trying to prohibit. They have made efforts to reduce the number of gun violence cases and to reduce the cases of the number of firearms used in armed crime. People's Federation for National Peace and Development (Pefenap) is an organization that was created in Malawi to outlaw gun violence and limit the amount of crime. According to Pefenap Executive Director, Edward Chaka, the the number of gun violence cases inn Malawi was decreasing because of the involement of police enforcements and the confiscations of fire arms.
Most crimes against Americans involve property. Because of the poverty within Malawi, American citizens are advised to avoid traveling by foot due to robbery, kidnapping, and assault. Many civil organizations blame the country’s open borders for the lack of protection against gun violence. The government is working very hard to eliminate the violence and divest the country from all small arms and illicit trade. In this regard Malawi is working closely with the other SADC member countries to implement a range of measures for monitoring and facilitating cross-border operations within the sub-region as outlined in the SADC draft Protocol on Firearms, Ammunition and other Related Material.
At the national level, a comprehensive review of the Firearms Act is underway to realign it with the expanded scope of the internal security needs of the new democratic dispensation. With the assistance of friendly governments Malawi is implementing a Police Reform Program within which there is a significant element of human rights and small arms-related training and technical assistance. A project funded by the Norwegian government is in progress under which awareness and sensitization campaigns and workshops are mounted designed to educate the general public on the dangers of illicit trade and possession of firearms and other light weapons to human security as well as the security of the country.
