27,000 firearms to be destroyed publicly

Over 27,000 firearms recovered by Police and other law enforcement agencies or surrendered to State agencies will be destroyed publicly at Independence Square on Friday at 10 a.m. - which is the International Day against Illegal Firearms, the Ministry of Public Security Law and Order said yesterday.

This would be the first time after 14 years that such a large haul of firearms is being destroyed. Minister of Buddha Sasana, Public Security, Law and Order and Deputy Minister of Defence Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, Deputy Minister Jayaratne Herath, Ministry Secretary Tilak Ranaviraja along with the IGP and Services Chiefs, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and the public will view the destruction as heavy rollers will go over the firearms.

Ranaviraja, who is also the Chairman of the National Commission on Prevention of Proliferation of Illegal Firearms said these firearms are those recovered by police during investigations or special operations carried out as well as those in the custody of Divisional Secretariats and other agencies after being surrendered over the past several years.

The firearms consist of T 56, repeater guns, shot guns, pistols, revolvers, rifles and assortment of locally made firearms like galkatas which have come into possession of State agencies over the years. A large number of these have become obsolete. Only a few which are of antique value are being kept.

Ranaviraja said the Government would take this opportunity to focus attention on the need to tackle the problem of proliferation of illegal small arms which is the cause of various types of crime. It has been estimated that there are nearly 30,000 illegal firearms in circulation.

Police have launched a special operation to recover illegal firearms after special amnesties did not yield the desired results. The Ministry has called for the co-operation of the public to provide information on use of such illegal arms which is the cause for spread of grave crimes.

A reward scheme is in place for those who supply information leading to the recovery of such firearms.

Firearms are also issued legally to various sectors by the Government including Government Departments, Banks, National Rifle Association, Registered Private Security Services, personal security and for agricultural purposes.