Campaign
for Non-violent Peace Culture (CNPC) Project
In recent years, violence
has increased in Bangladesh. Circulation as well as use of small
arms, high explosive grenades and other explosive devices has
sharply risen in the country. These events have drawn increased
international attention. Although it is clear that small arms
do not cause conflicts, there is consensus that they exacerbate
conflict and increase risks for civilian populations and propagate
a culture violence and conflict.
Besides, Bangladesh is often used as a transit route for illicit movement of small arms. The war in Afghanistan and ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, as well as internal violence in Sri Lanka, Kashmir and Nepal, continue to add to both the supply of and demand for small arms and explosive devices in the region. <
There are an estimated 75 million firearms in South Asia, 63 million of which are in civilian hands. India and Pakistan overwhelmingly account for most of the weapons (40 million and 20 million respectively), and have local production as well. Civilians in Nepal and Sri Lanka own an additional 3 million weapons. Civilians are the largest category of gun owners in the region, accounting for far more weapons than the military, police and insurgents. Millions of lives have already been lost in the region, and the supply of arms to both governments and armed groups continue to grow (Press Release issued by the International Action Network on Small Arm-IANSA on occasion of the UN BMS 2005).
According to a study done by BDPC, there are 400,000 illegal and 25,000 legally held guns in illegal use in Bangladesh (with a probability of ± 20% deviation). The quantity of arms recovered in Bangladesh at different places creates serious concern as it proves that arms can be easily brought inside the country and can be easily shipped within Bangladesh from one place to other. Presence as well as availability of huge amount of small arms in the country is certainly a matter of concern for everyone (Illegal Small Arms and Human Insecurity in Bangladesh, BDPC, 2005).
research report published by BDPC mentions that, in addition to 400,000 illegal and 25,000 licensed guns that are in use for criminal activities, there is also extensive use of high explosive homemade bombs and sophisticated grenades. The homemade bombs are no less destructive than the grenades as these are made of plastic explosives using battery operated timer devices. In addition, they use traditional lethal weapons alongside the firearms. For example, they abduct somebody at gunpoint and then kill him by cutting throat by knife. The recent (17 August 2005) bombing in 63 districts has proved that arms and explosive users are very well organized and they have very strong networks all over the country. In the BDPC research report, it has been mentioned that there are more or less 600,000 operatives who use the 425,000 thousand guns. In this case, more than one person generally uses one gun. Many guns are rented out to different parties at different times (Illegal Small Arms and Human Insecurity in Bangladesh, BDPC, 2005).
But the gangs, groups and syndicates that are engaged in criminal activities are not comprised of just gunmen. There are other people like the bomb makers, bombers, intelligence gathering people and other operatives working for the groups. Particularly, one has to take into consideration that the gun users do not operate alone and gun use is not an isolated matter. Guns are used for certain purposes and these purposes include gun running, human trafficking, extortion, prostitution, illegal occupation of land mainly for shrimp cultivation and real estate business, smuggling of contraband items, drug running, drug dealing, money laundering, election rigging, tender snatching and so on. Among political cadres of main political parties’ gunrunning, tender snatching, land grabbing, extortion and rape are common while among the criminal syndicates human trafficking, prostitution, gunrunning, drug running and dealing, smuggling of contraband items and extortion are common. Among other ordinary criminals dacoity, mugging, killing (as mercenary) etc. are common. The underworld illegal businesses have grown lately as conglomerates engaged in a number of avenues that bring in lucrative ‘profits’ for them. There are nearly 2,000,000 (two million) people engaged to run such huge operation and crime networks. (Illegal Small Arms and Human Insecurity in Bangladesh, BDPC, 2005).
An estimate made by BDPC based on available information shows that the 124 arms based crime syndicates in the country are run by nearly 500 top notched godfathers assisted by nearly 4,000 deputies and supported by 125,000 hard core gang leaders. The total operation of these 124 crime syndicates involves nearly 2,000,000 people including the ± 600,000 gunmen.
Although Bangladesh is a country of 140 million people, they leave in densely populated areas, 70,000 villages and around 550 cities and towns (Statistical Year Book, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics - BBS, 2001). The two million members of the criminal groups are operational in these locations i.e. more than 28 persons average per location. This signifies the magnitude of the problem of small arms and related violence.
Arms and violence has direct link with deteriorating livelihood condition of the people of Bangladesh. Extortion has become so common that paying toll to the extortionists has become an everyday family expenditure for nearly 70% of the population, even more (Survey of Armed Violence in Bangladesh, BDPC, 1999-2000). The poor and powerless is the main victims of extortion. Other than a section of the rich and powerful, everybody has to pay money to the extortionists. Non-compliance may bring disaster to a family. Farmer, rickshaw puller, hawker, shopkeeper, contractor, transport owner, transport worker, businessperson, house owner, day labourer, slum dweller, doctor, lawyer, teacher, NGO executive, NGO worker, industrialist, exporter, importer, clinic and hospital owner, schools and colleges - almost everybody has to pay toll to the extortionists. Mostly suffers the low-income group who has to pay toll from their small income. This silent and violent exploitation affects the livelihood of the poor people seriously. They have to pay toll for maintaining whatever assets they have. If they sell any asset, then again a large portion of the proceeds will go to the extortionists. They have to migrate from rural areas to the urban areas once they are evicted from their land or avoid insecurity and abuse inflicted upon them by armed gangs. Once they come to the city, they have to pay toll for everything - for raising a hut on government land, for doing any work or business on footpath, getting a job and keeping it secured, and more importantly to protect young women and girls of the family from rape and abuse (Outputs of participatory sessions conducted by BDPC with women and adolescents in urban slums and rural villages of Bangladesh in 2001 and 2002).
Given the above situation, BDPC has undertaken the Campaign for Non-violence Peace Culture (CNPC) project for building and promoting a culture of non-violence and peace in the country. The project will implement campaign and awareness building activities in all 64 districts of Bangladesh. Besides, the project will work in three particular districts of Bangladesh with high school and college students as well as under-25 male and female community groups for promoting a culture of peace. According to plan, participants will be organized into 24 Study Circles who will meet regularly on fortnightly basis. The other activity includes organization of school-based and community-based peace building workshops and seminars. The three districts are Gazipur, Jessore and Satkhira.
A conference was held in New York at the UN headquarters in 2001 on issues related to illegal trade, transfer and use of small arms. A Plan of Action (PoA) was adopted in the conference with a view to fight the illicit trade, transfer and use of small arms. Bangladesh has not signed this instrument yet.
One of the major components of the project will be to run a campaign with the Government of Bangladesh for adoption and implementation of the United Nations Plan of Action (PoA) on Small Arms.
