Burundi disarmament drive nets over 70,000 weapons

Thursday, 29 October 2009

A Burundian disarmament taskforce said Wednesday it had received more than 70,000 arms surrendered by civilians over the past two years in war-wracked country.

Dozens of others queued up to surrender their weapons, which included guns and grenades, as a midnight Wednesday deadline to voluntarily do so neared.

"We are very satisfied with the work achieved since 2007. Today, on the last day for civilians to voluntarily return illegally-owned weapons, between 70,000 and 80,000 have been collected by our comission," said Zenon Ndabaneze, the taskforce's chief.

The arms collection consists of around 10,000 guns and the rest are grenades and other bombs, Ndabaneze said.

Under a new law passed in August, which will be enforced after the deadline, illegal possession of firearms is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $4,700.

Between 100,000 and 300,000 weapons are believed to be in circulation in Burundi according to government and Non-Governmental Organisation Small Arms Survey estimates.

The small central African country is emerging from the ravages of a civil war which erupted in 1993 and claimed the lives of some 300,000 people.

Burundi is to hold its second post-war elections next year.

Sapa-AFP