[TimorLesteStudies] New Article in East Timor Law Journal

[W. Wright]

Dear Colleagues,Earlier this year the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste proposed that a new Arms Law be enacted by the National Parliament which would govern, among other things, the granting of licences to civilians to possess and carry firearms. This draft law was not adopted by the Parliament when it was first debated in June. However, it may be resubmitted for consideration at the next session of the Parliament in September 2008. The draft arms law comes at a time when there is growing awareness of the dangers posed by high levels of gun ownership by civilians, and growing concerns of the potential impacts on domestic violence, gang violence and electoral violence in Timor-Leste. The Small Arms Survey, an independent research project located at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, has prepared a commentary on the draft arms law that highlights some of the weaknesses and omissions in the draft provisions, and reflects on the desirability of 
such a law in light of the political and security climate in Timor-Leste.  This paper was prepared in collaboration with Austcare as part of a joint project: Timor-Leste Armed Violence Assessment.The Commentary on the Draft Arms Law in Timor-Leste has been published in the East Timor Law Journal and may be freely accessed through the following link: 
 


http://www.eastimorlawjournal.org/It is hoped that this commentary will inform the debate on the issue of civilian possession and trafficking of firearms in Timor-Leste.
 

 Sincerely,
 
 
Warren L. Wright BA LLB
Publisher
East Timor Law Journal
Extract: "In addition to drawing attention to the issue of civilian possession of weapons, the aims of this article are fourfold. Specifically, they are to provide a balanced summary of the proposed law; to compare it with existing domestic arrangements; to provide analysis of the draft arms law in light of discussions and evolving international norms and practices in the area of possession of firearms by civilians2; and to comment on the suitability or desirability of the proposed law in light of the political and security climate in Timor-Leste."

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