VAST ownership of illicit weapons

Raja Waidyasekera Tissamaharama special corr

There is a widespread illegal possession of home made guns Galkatas, muzzle loading guns and shot guns in Hambantota district, says a book with 60 pages released by the National Commission Against Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms Sri Lanka titled “Illegal small arms and light weapons pilot survey Hambantota.”

It further says that there are small but growing numbers of T56s in the hands of criminals, apparently concentrated in the Western end of district, which contributes significantly to a high level of armed violence.

It says that primary sources for Galkatas production are local blacksmiths in the district. While a clamp down on blacksmiths is an important measure to control the number of home made guns in circulation, it is important to recognise that the presence of domestic production of fire arms on a large scale amounts to an almost limitless supply.

The book further says that the firearms homicide rate in Hambantota in 2005 remains at 4.95 per 100,000 of the population is more than double the rate for the rest of the country and is higher than in most countries where the rate has been measured.

The misuse of firearms in the district also occurs in relation to slash and burn chena cultivation, cattle farming, illicit logging and firewood gathering, disputes over land irrigation and other settlements and illicit alcohol production.

The book further says that the key social issues facing people in Hambantota and a root cause for armed violence pointed out by many interviews and focus group participants was the lack of education, training and opportunities to earn a living.