The plague of light weapons, especially semi-automatic assault rifles, isn't unique to this country. Since the end of the Cold War, millions of small arms have flooded the black market, fueling conflicts from Sierra Leone to the Solomon Islands. Most are produced in the US, France, Britain, Russia, and China. From July 9-20, a UN conference in New York on the illicit trade will bring the problem into focus, hopefully assisting efforts by peace groups and some governments to stop it. Unfortunately, these durable weapons stay in circulation long after conflicts end.
Experts say many of the weapons originally entered the region through Somalia.
So far, government efforts to have people turn in their guns have proven ineffective. Meanwhile, Somalia is offering militiamen food and training if they turn in guns. However, once people get money or food, they may simply buy another weapon. PPDI sees guns as a symptom. The cause, it says, is resource-based conflict, mostly over water.