Silent Fight Against Weapons

The fact that 3,000 are shot to death every year in homicides, suicides or accidents; and that 378 million out of a total 638 million licensed guns in the world belong to private individuals, whereas 260 million are under the state's control are facts that "have little effect on our lives."

According to United Nations (UN) statistics, 300,000 people in the world die in areas of war each year, while 200,000 die in peaceful regions because of personal weapons.

In Turkey, about 2 million people own guns with official permissions. Tens of people are killed accidentally as a result of firing guns in the air. Homicides are committed because of "a moment of rage." All these facts remind one why Turkey is called the "little America."

The U.S.'s fame in this field, and the "outcome" of being able to so easily own a gun was demonstrated by Michael Moore's movie, "Bowling for Columbine."

Tanzer Gezer, the coordinator of the Hope Foundations, said instead of encouraging people to own weapons and making this easier, the state should protect people's lives. Peaceful solutions to problems between individuals should be supported and the rule of law should be embraced, he said. Gezer added that thousands of people are killed or are injured with weapons because of the misperception that owning a weapon makes a person "better." People who own and carry weapons are a threat to the lives of people around them, and especially to their families, added Gezer.

"While it is impossible for no one to see a murder in a club with 150 people, evidence has been done away with, and the murderers have escaped," said Bulent Utku, the lawyer for university student Baris Donmez, who was stabbed in his throat and died at a club in Beyoglu. "It is unacceptable that people tolerate violence toward others if they themselves feel safe. It is possible to isolate individual and social violence by seeking solutions against violence."

Hope for personal disarmament...

The Hope Foundation was in Sanliurfa this year for the September 28 Personal Disarmament Day, to draw attention to murders committed in the name of tradition and honor.

The Hope Foundations's name comes from Nazire Dedeman's son, Umut Dedeman, who according to his mother, died in a murder, and according to the verdict, in an accident. The foundation has been organizing various activities on every September 28 to prevent gun ownership, since it was established

Tanzer Gezer from the Umut Foundation opposes encouraging and accepting gun ownership for reasons of security, tradition and hobby.

"Guns, even if they are only going to be kept at home, threaten people's lives. The increase in crime rates, scenes of wars in the media, and witnessing bloody violent incidents, all make people believe they live in an insecure world and want to own guns. But the right reaction to the feeling of insecurity should be to demand safety from the state. We should all defend people's right to live," said Gezer.

Gezer said that guns fired during celebrations especially threaten the lives of women and children. He said women's and children's organizations should take up the issue of personal disarmament.

"The state should protect people's lives"

Gezer also criticized Prime Minsiter Recep Tayyip Erdogan for accepting a gun as a gift from the governor of Rize. He said famous people who own guns tempt people into owning weapons. Gezer made the following proposals for preventing gun ownership:

* Under the weapons law, anyone who is older than 21 and who has no convictions, may own a gun following a psychological examination. The age limit should be increased to 25. It is not realistic to own a gun for personal safety while the police and paramilitary police have the task of providing security. If the feeling of insecurity is the reason why people own guns, they should sue the state for not providing personal safety.

* People, in defending weapons, often argue that sensible people may use guns, and that gun usage is part of tradition. This argument is equal to not recognizing rule of law.

* Guns are designed to hurt someone, rather than to defend oneself. The fact that people mostly commit suicide with their personal weapons, that people grab their guns when they have problems with their neighbors, shortly the deaths that occur through guns, suggest that owning a gun cannot be simply explained as a hobby.

* The job of the police is to prevent crime and violence. But we are seeing that they are inadequate in that.

* The Machinery and Chemicals Institution make 17 trillion Turkish liras (USD 11 million) in sale of guns. The state may not want to prevent people from owning guns when it is making so much money out of it.

* But what scares me the most is that weapon lobbies may seek new markets in Turkey, where owning a gun is related to insecurity and traditions. Weapon companies are using the Internet and television series as means of advertising.

* Although we support anti-war activities, we are not spending efforts for the disarmament of the state and the army. (OG/YS/EA/YE)