WESTERN PROVINCE

RUBAVU — Celestine Twagirayezu, the Rubavu District Mayor, has reaffirmed the district’s commitment to working with all key stake-holders in curtailing small arms proliferation.

Twagirayezu, said this recently while officially opening a two-day meeting on small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa, at STIPP Hotel, in Gisenyi town.

The meeting brought together law enforcement officials, as well as representatives of the civil society from Nyabihu, Rubavu and Ngororero districts including researchers from the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa (RECSA).

"We all know that easy access to illegal small arms and light weapons escalates conflicts and undermines political stability. They also have devastating impacts on human and State security such as abuse of human rights, destruction of plant life and a seemingly unending rebellion,” he said.

According to Superintendent, Eric Kayiranga, an official from the national commission against small arms, the meeting was meant to gather ideas on what should be included in the five-year plan against small arms in Rwanda.

Kayiranga said that the ideas gathered during the meeting would be a great foundation for the five-year action plan against illegal small arms in the country.

At the meeting, the Regional Police commander in charge of the Western Province, Superintendent Lambert Gumira, said many people still illegally owned light arms especially in the Western Province because it is where the Interahamwe and EX-FAR had their last operation before fleeing to DR Congo.

He said that the action against small arms required active and concerted regional effort as well as international understanding and support.

"We need to rededicate ourselves to continue our efforts towards the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region and for genuine and serious commitment of all parties concerned as well as the international community to stand against small arms,” he said. 

Anastus Shyaka, a researcher from RECSA, said that recent reports indicated that there are many illegal arms in Gasabo, Rusizi and Rubavu districts.

He observed that illegal small arms were a common problem in countries like Burundi, DR Congo, Sudan and Uganda which are recovering from civil wars and rebel activities.

"This is a general problem whose solution can only be achieved through maximum co-operation,” he said, calling upon governments to strengthen sub-regional co-operation among police, intelligence, customs and border control officials in combating the illegal circulation and trafficking in small arms and light weapons.

RECSA is an institutional framework created from the Nairobi Declaration to coordinate the joint effort by National Focal Points in member states to prevent, combat and eradicate stockpiling and illegal trafficking in small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes region and Horn of Africa.

Ends