The scene, on May 10 2010, was silent and still—even as 18-plus people marched on the streets of Blantyre Central Business District to mark Global Week of Action against Gun Violence.
That year, the week ran from May 10 to 16.
However, the relative silence on the streets was, somehow, paradoxical considering that, by the time the people were marching as one of the strategies for preaching the message against gun violence, the Organised Crime Index had indicated that cases of gun violations had been rising in Malawi.
In addition, the index indicated that there was a proliferation of ammunition, often in the wrong hands, “resulting in the illegal possession of firearms being a major cause of recent gun violence and gun-related crimes” in the country.
The National Library of Medicine indicates, in an article titled ‘Interpersonal Violence in Peacetime Malawi’, that there are occasional cases of casualties of gun violence in Malawi.
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The report, published by Rebecca G Maine, Brittney Williams, Jennifer A Kincaid, Gift Mulima, Carlos Varela, Jared R Gallaher, Trista D Reid and Anthony G Charles, was released on December 27 2018.
The retrospective review, which focused on a prospective trauma registry from 2009 through to 2016 at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, sought to identify factors associated with increased risk of mortality for victims of interpersonal violence.
“For 10,395 (41.5 percent) patients the mechanism of assault (blunt vs. penetrating) and/or weapon used was not recorded. In 14,613 (58.4 percent) patients for whom assault weapon was documented, gun violence was uncommon in this population, comprising only 3.2 percent (number=195) of penetrating injuries and less than 1 percent of all interpersonal violence. Blunt assaults with hands/feet caused 34.2 percent of injuries, whereas some type of object was used in the remaining documented cases,” the review reads.
These are some of the examples that show that gun-related violence remains an imminent threat to Malawi, which probably convinced those handful marchers back in 2010 to march on, safe in the hope that a day the majority of Malawians barely recognised some 14 years ago would become respected one day.
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Four years later—that is, in 2014—the marchers, who were led by People’s Federation for National Peace and Development (Pefenap) Executive Director Edward Chaka, became louder, shifting from propagating the significance of the day to pressing the Malawi Government to start taking the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) seriously.
The ATT is a multilateral treaty that regulates international trade in conventional weapons.
The ATT is premised on the understanding that while the barrel of a typical firearm is a small hole; the wrath of its ‘vomit’ bears a risk now global in nature.
Of course, small arms are sometimes favoured for their portable size. They are easy to hide, too.
But, all over the world, Malawi inclusive, the resultant death or injuries are there for all to behold.
And the dead are almost ‘lucky’ because they will not be there to live with the pain. Others are less ‘fortunate’; they live to endure the loss of their loved ones, or live with wounds, mutilated bodies, makeshift organs, all because they suffered from gun violence.
It is a stark reality that makes Chaka so sick that he buries his head in his hairless hands.
He wishes he could hide, and hide in the jungle of peace.
“Peace, the peace we have and often take for granted is the greatest capital for development. It applies everywhere in the world, and Malawi is no exception,” he ventured.
Then, as if reflecting, he added: “Gun violence is threatening this (peace).”
He has been there, at the biggest stage, having attended global meetings on gun violence initiated by the International Action Network on Small Arms (Iansa).
He said, more than at any other time in history, the world needs an urgent solution to tackle the problem of gun violence.
In a way, he blamed it on history, which he faulted for failing to live up to the commonest human view that it (history) represents progress— which other historians have described as a long, upward struggle of humanity to dominate nature and achieve desired goals premised on sound wellbeing.
Chaka blamed technology for perpetuating the problem of gun violence; the type that is perpetuated by those who have unlicenced weapons.
“It is technology that has given way to advanced small arms and conventional weapons, all the while these weapons are becoming ever smaller, rendering detection almost impossible. Our own achievements are turning against us, and it’s all because we have generally failed to tally scientific and technological advancements with global requirements to be transparent and accountable,” Chaka pointed out.
Light at tunnel’s end
The good thing is that the world has been taking note and taking requisite action.
In 2003, for instance, 153 United Nations (UN) member states, including Malawi, voted at the UN General Assembly for a resolution on establishing an ATT.
Things started to change for the better, as UN Security Council Resolutions, specifically Resolution 1325 and 1820, were put in place.
These purport that there is “No security without women’s security” and that efforts aimed at protecting women would go a long way in preventing incidences of gun violence.
Iansa saw sense in this, too, and started asking governments to develop strong National Action Plans (Naps) on Women, Peace and Security as required by UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
This year, the resolution is 24 years old, during which Malawi has formulated effective Naps and followed through them.
From the June 2009 Global Week of Action against Gun Violence and Arms Control Campaign to the defining moment of 2010, it has been one step at a time for Malawi.
For instance, in December 2009, Malawi was among 153 states that voted in the UN General Assembly for a resolution that established a 2012 UN Conference on the ATT, after which the draft treaty text was negotiated and finalised.
Even more important was the decision by UN member states to transform the planned four weeks of the Open-Ended Working Group in 2010 and, in 2011, into preparatory committees (PreComs) that developed the text.
Then, in February 2010, representatives of over 60 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) gathered at the Vienna Conference of NGOs and agreed to expand their programmatic areas.
These included promoting consultations with community members (People’s Treaty), advocating for a comprehensive definition of the scope of the ATT and the adoption of ethical principles and robust rules based on acceptable international standards.
NGOs started pressing their respective governments to follow up with requisite action on the outcomes of the Armed Violence and Development Meeting held in Oslo from April 21-22 2009, before they (world governments, including Malawi) met for the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms (PoA) from July 14 to 18 2010.
The venue was New York, United States of America, which hosted the Point of Action Biennial Meeting of States.
Malawi reaches destination
Finally, Malawi has done the needful’; ratifying the ATT.
This means it has done the expected on the treaty, which entered into force on December 24 2014. At the time, 113 states had ratified it, with a further 28 states, including Malawi, signing but failing short of ratifying it.
Malawi has now joined the countries that signed and have since ratified it.
In an instrument of ratification, Foreign Affairs Minister Nancy Tembo indicates that the country signed it in May this year.
“Government of Malawi Instrument of Ratification: Arms Trade Treaty. Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty entered into force on 24th December 2024; whereas the Government of Malawi signed the treaty on 9th January 2014; and whereas it is the wish of the Government of Malawi to ratify the said treaty; Now therefore, I, Nancy Tembo, M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Malawi, do hereby notify and confirm, in accordable with Article 21 of the Treaty, that the Republic of Malawi ratifies the same. Done under my hand and seal at Lilongwe this 30th day of May 2024,” the instrument of ratification reads.
When Malawi signed the treaty, Joyce Banda was the State president.
It is in President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration that it has been ratified.
Reacting to the issue, Chaka was elated.
“This will put Malawi in a position to control the proliferation of conventional arms, which inflict damage on people when they [arms] fall in the wrong hands. As you know, the ATT is a global mechanism which will help states prevent atrocities, disarm child soldiers, reduce the flow of displaced people and prevent gender-based violence. It strongly reinforces human rights law and international humanitarian law
“The international arms’ trade affects all aspects of international relations, as countries around the world buy and sell weapons to advance their foreign policy, national security and economic interests. What government has done is taking a positive milestone and what remains is for it to effectively implement and take steps towards becoming a treaty champion to signatories and those that are yet to ratify the treaty,” Chaka said.
He said Pefenap applauds the government because, in ratifying the treaty, it is committing to end human rights violations, including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
“We, at Pefenap, applaud the Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Nancy Tembo, Malawi Defence Force and all our key government security agencies and stakeholders for the job well done. We are looking forward to continue engaging the Malawi Government on the effective implementation of the treaty,” he stressed.
Maybe, at last, unlicenced barrels will no longer make that unwanted popping sound.
