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Thousands Rally Against Weapons

Civil NGO

Thousands of people strong peaceful protest against weapons and armed violence was held yesterday in Skopje, the capitol of Macedonia. The rally was organized as part of the International Action Week Against Small Arms, as well as to mark the death of three and wounding six young people in an internet caf�, last week.

Thousands of people strong peaceful protest against weapons and armed violence was held yesterday in Skopje, the capitol of Macedonia. The rally was organized as part of the International Action Week Against Small Arms, as well as to mark the death of three and wounding six young people in an internet caf�, last week. Supported by Civil, the newly established citizen movement Zgjohu! Shkup (Wake Up! Skopje) was leading the rally with slogans �Stop violence� and �Stop weapons�.

Civil, supported by UNDP, Partnership for Community Safety and Security project, launched a campaign Against Small Arms earlier this week. The poster and flyer campaign with two slogans: �Speak in time! Victims cannot call for help�, and �We need more space to play�, appeal for respect of human rights, cooperation between citizens and institutions, and immediate action to put arms under control. Through a network of numerous organizations, Civil disseminates the campaign materials in fifteen cities in Macedonia, practically covering the whole territory of the country, calling for an immediate action against small arms in every community. Caritas France in Macedonia also supported Civil organized Week of Action.

This year�s campaign is supported by numerous NGOs in Macedonia and the region. The protests held yesterday were part of the Week of Action, initiated by IANSA. The Mayor of the Municipality of Chair, Izet Mexhiti joined the rally in person, as well as the father of two sons killed in the incident last week. It is the municipality where murders happened and the rally started. Civil and Saferworld (UK) conduct the project on Safer Community Plans in the Skopje Old Town, which is part of the Municipality of Chair. The Mayor of Skopje, Mr. Trifun Kostovski, and religious leaders of the Christian and Islamic communities sent a message expressing strong support for the activities of Civil, Zgjohu! Shkup, and Civil administered Action Working Group on Safety and Security in the Skopje Old Town.

Thousands rallied in Chair municipality.

Media attention is tremendous. Every newspaper, radio and TV station publishes/broadcasts information and features on Civil�s actions against small arms. Through media, Civil calls for immediate action from governmental, local and political authorities to put arms control high on their agenda, consider opening possibilities for a new amnesty for voluntary surrender of weapons, ammunition and explosives, as well as to strengthen the legislation regarding arms possession.

There are up to 330,000 weapons possessors in Macedonia, which makes over 15 percent of the total population. Up to 170,000 of them possess weapons illegally. According to UNDP, 65 percent of the population stated that they do not want to obtain a weapon. In comparison to 2003, the number of people that do not want weapons doubled.