Cash rewards for illegal firearms

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

The Ministry of Defence expects over 1,000 illegally-owned weapons to be surrendered during the 10-day amnesty period from April 25. According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) there are illegally-owned firearms of various categories ranging from AK47s, pistols to locally manufactured galkatas and ammunition.

Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence (MoD) N.G. Panditharathne said a three-member committee would be appointed in each district to receive the firearms. The committee comprises members representing the District Secretariat, Divisional Secretariat and the police. “Illegally-owned firearms can be handed over to the District Secretariat, Divisional Secretariat and the police,” he said. Such arms and ammunition will be kept in a specially secured safe in each District Secretariat.

Notices informing the public on the amnesty period, are already being displayed in every District and Divisional Secretariat in Sinhala, Tamil and English. Grama Niladharis will also be notified in a few days, Pandithrathne said.

The cash reward for surrendering illegal firearms will range from Rs. 5,000 – 25,000, depending on the category of the firearm. According to the Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi discussions are under way to decide whether the Government needs to raise the cash reward.

“The amounts are decided on by MoD officials based on the previous amnesty periods. Therefore, we need to review whether there is a need to increase the cash reward that was decided on a few years ago. If the cash reward is on par with the current market prices, the program will be more successful,” he said.