Bahraini MPs Sign Petition To End Gun Violence

Manama, Bahrain (AHN) - Four Bahraini lawmakers have signed an international petition calling for an end to gun violence and urging the United Nations to push for an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with all its members.

Parliament member Jalal Fairooz, from Al Wefaq, the largest Shia bloc in the Bahrain parliament, is one of the signatories of the petition. He told AHN, "There have been several cases of shootings which are a matter of concern. Bahrain is a small island and smuggling of weapons is minimal. But these incidents cannot be ignored."

Bahraini Abbas Ali Salman Al Shakhoori was shot in March 2007. In August 2006, Mahdi Abdulrehman Mohammed was gunned down in the Muharraq area. Shakhoori's killer has not yet been traced, although authorities are investigating the case. In Mahdi's case the suspected killer was caught and the case is in court.

The shootings shocked the nation, with Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa expressing regrets over such crimes that he said were alien to the Bahraini society.

According to reports, Mahdi's killer was charged with possessing an unlicensed weapon.

Amnesty International regional coordinator for Bahrain, Nasser Burdestani, told AHN that violence in which a weapon is involved is a global problem.

"Gun violence kills more than 350,000 people a year and injures more than a million. In the last two to three years, people were killed in Bahrain from weapons which were either stolen or illegally possessed. It's time for our parliamentarians to push the ATT through the U.N. along with other countries."

Following the death of Al Shakhoori in 2007, Burdestani launched a first-of-its-kind campaign in coordination with the group Control Arms, where as many as 40,000 text messages were randomly sent to the public here. The message was aimed at spreading awareness of the dangers of handguns.

If approved, the treaty would curb cross-border trafficking in weapons. The treaty sets guidelines for arms exporters and importers to ensure they do not provide weapons that would be used in serious violations of international law. "There could be a tracking system set up with ATT where the weapon serial number and owner could be traced. But there is a long way to go as in some countries, there are legal markets where guns are sold," said Burdestani.

MP Fairooz concurred with Burdestani, noting that in the neighboring country of Saudi Arabia and in Bedouin tribes possession of a gun is allowed.

"There should be a restriction on the issuance of license for civilians. I had submitted a proposal to ban public possession of small arms," the lawmaker said.

In Bahrain, licenses for the possession of hand guns are issued by the Ministry of Interior. Fairooz, who is also secretary of parliament's foreign affairs, defense and national security committee, said they were given a detailed presentation by Interior officials highlighting that gun related incidents were minimal.

A court case is pending for 15 persons who are charged with stealing weapons, hurling fire bombs and rioting.

It's not only the guns, as Bahrain authorities come down heavily on those using fire bombs. The Shura Council approved the draft of a law to add a clause to the penal code criminalizing fire bombs or other incendiary devices in May. This followed the death of a policeman, Maajid Asghar Ali , who died in April when masked men reportedly hurled fire bombs at his patrol Jeep in the village of Karzakan.

The other three Bahraini lawmakers who signed the petition were Shaikh Adel Al Moawada of the Al Asala bloc (Conservative Sunni), Mohammed Al Jamri of Al Wefaq, and Shura (Consultative) Council member Bahiya Al Jishi.

Burdestani said several activities are lined up next week, as Bahrain will join 70 countries around the world to mark a global week of action against gun violence

He mentioned that "Bahrain is elected to the U.N. Human Rights Council and its support will play a key part. We aim to collect signatures of 3,000 MPs from all over the world by October which would be presented to the U.N. General Assembly."