Prior to the most recent campaign, the government started in 2005 a buy back programme, supported by the United States, of heavy weapons from tribesmen, which included rocket propelled grenades, anti-aircraft missiles and hand grenades. The most important markets are Suq al Talh in Sa'ada province, which has been a battlefield for a sporadic conflict between the al Houthi rebels and the government since 2004 and government officials have said that the rebels obtain their weapons from the local markets.
There are about 18 main weapon markets and an estimated 300 small gun shops across the country. The interior ministry said about 300,000 unlicensed firearms have been seized since the campaign started and dozens of weapons shops have been closed for selling unlicensed guns. But those caught trying to take their arms into the cities have them confiscated. They get a receipt and can collect them when they are leaving. Usually people coming from outside the cities have to submit their arms at the security checkpoint before entering. But whenever the ministry of interior feels there is respite on the part of the security apparatuses implementing the campaign, orders are refreshed," Ahmed Hail, the head of the interior ministry's information centre, said. "The campaign is ongoing since it started in August 2007. Some tribal MPs come to parliament accompanied by 20 guards."ĭespite parliament's inability to act, the interior ministry has been implementing a campaign against unlicensed firearms in major cities.
But tribal chiefs escorted by dozens of armed men would pass through without being checked. "I would be stopped and checked at security checkpoints when I have my pistol despite my immunity. "The government is weak to organise the bearing of arms, let alone the ownership as it does not apply the ban of bearing arms equally on all people," Abbdulkareem Shaiban, a member of the opposition Islah caucus in the parliament, said.
In both 20, bills that stipulated that Yemenis living in urban areas obtain a licence for each weapon they possess and gave the interior ministry more power to control arms were rejected by influential tribal MPs from both the ruling and opposition parties. Mr al Alimi urged parliament to pass a law proposed by the government several years ago to criminalise unlicensed weapons and carrying arms in public. "Weapons are a real problem for national unity, investment, the economy and tourism and you MPs have a responsibility to act," Rashad al Alimi, the deputy prime minister, told parliament last month. It is a tradition we inherited from our ancestors," Mr al Umaisi said.īut with 35 people having died in June this year because of the misuse of firearms and with more than 2,000 people losing their lives yearly in gun-related disputes, Yemeni officials are voicing their concerns about the easy access to weapons. They are part of our tradition, which we have to cling to and respect. "Once my boy becomes a grown-up, I will buy him a jambiya and a gun. SANA'A // Yahia al Umaisi, a flagstones worker, considers guns and jambiya, the traditional curved daggers worn by nearly all Yemeni men, symbols of status, power, manhood and responsibility.
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