- (AFP) -- Iraqis ignored a demand to turn in their weapons
as the US-led administration began a two-week countdown to the imposition
of new firearm controls in a bid to stem post-war lawlessness.
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- None of the collection points in the capital visited
by AFP reported any weapons had been handed in Sunday, despite three days
of announcements on coalition radio.
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- US troops at the al-Mesbah police station said they had
received about 20 inquiries from Iraqis wanting to know whether they would
have to license their weapons once the new rules come into force on June
15.
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- But at the al-Ulwiya police station, soldiers admitted
they had not had a single approach from Iraqis all day.
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- Under the new rules, all heavy weapons must be turned
in but Iraqis will be allowed to retain pistols, shotguns and rifles up
to 7.62 mm calibre for self-defence, provided they do not take them out
of their homes and businesses.
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- That will let them keep the ubiquitous Kalashnikov or
AK-47, the favoured weapon of most Iraqis.
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- Anyone wanting to carry arms on the street will need
a special permit from the occupation administration, which has laid down
detailed procedures for weapons surrenders to prevent coalition troops
mistaking them for armed attacks.
-
- Sergeant First Class Chris Rhett tried to put a brave
face on the lack of interest from Iraqis.
-
- "We won't get a big rush of weapons till close to
the end," he said. "I would hope it will pick up before then.
-
- "We are going to be putting more posters and leaflets
out. I don't think we've got as many out as we need to."
-
- Coalition officials had placed high hopes on the new
weapons controls.
-
- "We think it is going to be a successful policy
because of the good Iraqi citizens who want to see law and order restored,"
a ground forces spokesman said Saturday.
-
- But Iraqis questioned by AFP expressed astonishment at
the policy, saying they would be unwilling to give up their treasured weapons
despite the pending ban.
-
- "Why should anyone want to just give away their
weapon when they can sell it for good money?" said Arkan al-Zebaki,
waving a 1950s vintage Webley and Scott pistol at Baghdad's open-air arms
market which has maintained an underground existence despite repeated US
raids.
-
- "In any case why would any self-respecting Iraqi
want to turn in their weapon to an American, particularly at a police station?"
-
- Fellow arms dealer Abbas Fadhel agreed. "For us
a weapon is a badge of honour," he said. "Even Saddam didn't
dare to take away our weapons."
-
- Fadhel has only pistols and ammunition on display for
fear of another US raid or a robbery in the ultra-lawless looters' market.
-
- But he said he has mortars for 75 dollars and rocket-propelled
grenades for 100 dollars in his home just 10 minutes away.
-
- Another arms dealer, Faris Mohammad, said it was too
early to impose the weapons crackdown.
-
- "I'm only selling weapons here because I lost my
job when they abolished the defence ministry," he said.
-
- "It's the same for most of us here, and it's also
true of the hoodlums who create the fear on the streets that we all feed
off.
-
- "If the Americans could give people jobs, then the
problem would right itself."
-
- Even Abbas Hussein, who shows off two bullet wounds in
his right foot, the legacy of a robbery on Friday evening in which he lost
25 dollars, said he had no intention of looking to the Americans for security.
-
- "If I need protection, I'll go buy a gun,"
he said. "We can't expect foreigners to save us from other Iraqis."
-
- For Ali Mahsen, there is only one way to control the
gangs who operate out of squats in bombed-out buildings across the city.
"Bring back Saddam's state security people," he said.
-
- "Saddam never needed to take our guns away, he knew
how to maintain law and order."
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