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Removing Surplus Small Arms and
Light Weapons from Russian Society:
Lessons from Weapons Collection
and Destruction Programmes
in Other Countries and Regions
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Table 1: Selected Small Arms Collection
Programmes
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Examples
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Method
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Cost
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Total weapons collected or surrendered
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Disposal method
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Albania
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Weapons for development
|
.
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165,000 SALW
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68,000 destroyed so far - the remainder in storage
waiting destruction
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Australia (mid 1990s)
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Voluntary surrender
and tighter controls
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US$210 million
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644,000 firearms
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Destruction - a few rare models to museums
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Dominican Republic (1996-99)
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Goods for guns private & church coalition
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.
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9,527 SALW
129,696 ammo
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Destruction
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El Salvador (1992-93)
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post-conflict collection
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.
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10,200 SALW
9,200 grenades
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Destruction
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El Salvador (1996-99)
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crime prevention
|
.
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4,452 SALW
3,180 grenades
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Destruction
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Guatemala 1997
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DDR programme - literacy, medical and vocational services
|
.
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1,824 SALW
535,000 ammo
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.
|
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Haiti (1994-95)
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Buy-back and seizure
|
.
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18,920 SALW
6,512 munitions
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Destruction in US - some for training Haitian police
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|
Liberia (1996-99)
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Post-civil war collection/ DDR programme
|
.
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19,000 SALW
3 million rounds of ammo
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Destruction
|
|
Mali (1995-96)
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post-conflict DDR - food, medicine and job training
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|
3,000 SALW
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Destruction - 'Flame of Peace'
|
|
Nicaragua (1991-93)
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Buy-back (cash, food and micro-enterprise)
|
|
142,000 SALW
|
Destruction
|
|
Panama 1998
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Buy-back and seizure
|
|
205 firearms
|
Destruction and incorporation into police stocks
|
|
Sierra Leone (1999-2000)
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DDR programme
|
.
|
12,695 SALW 253,535 ammo
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Disabled - but many later recaptured by rebels
|
|
United States (1990-to date)
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Various buy back in different US cities
|
.
|
20,000 plus
|
.
|
|
UK (mid 1990s)
|
Voluntary surrender
and tighter controls
|
US$146 million
|
185,000 firearms
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Most stored or sold
|
|
Table 2: Summary of Small Arms
Destruction Techniques Used to Date
|
|
Examples
|
Technique/Technology
|
Explanation
|
Advantages
|
Disadvantages |
|
Mali Nicaragua
|
Burning
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The destruction of SALW by open burning using kerosene
|
>Cheap and simple
>Highly visible and symbolic
>Limited training required
|
>Labour intensive
>Environmental pollution
>Not particularly efficient
>Visual inspection essential, but difficult
|
| |
Yugoslavia
Brazil |
Crushing by armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) or bulldozers |
The use of AFV's or Bulldozers to run over and crush
the SALW |
>Cheap and simple
>Highy visible and symbolic
>Limited training required |
>Not particularly efficient
>Visual inspection essential |
| |
|
Australia Canada
South Africa
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Cutting by hydraulic shears
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The use of hydraulic cutting and crushing systems
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>Limited training required
>Technology readily available
>High production levels possible using automation
>Environmentally benign
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>Medium initial capital costs
>Equipment requires transporting to affected country
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| |
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Germany
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Dismantling and recycling to develop facility
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The use of industrial process to dismantle and then
recover raw materials
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>Destruction guaranteed
>Some costs recovered by sale of scrap
>Only cost-effective for
|
>High initial capital costs large quantities of
SALW in developed countries
>High maintenance requirements
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|
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Australia
Canada
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Shredding
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The use of industrial metal shredding technology
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>Highly efficient
>Limited training required
>Technology readily available
>High production levels possible using automation
>Environmentally benign
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>High initial capital costs
>Equipment requires transporting to affected country
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|
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| Source: Adapted from Department for Disarmament Affairs,
A Destruction Handbook, United Nations, July 2001 |
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