BAGHDAD, May 24: Iraqis will need permits to carry small arms from June 15 and all concealed or heavy weapons will be banned, the US-led administration announced on Saturday as it moved to control the flood of firearms swamping the country.
Under the directive issued by occupation administration chief Paul Bremer, owners of banned arms will have 14 days from June 1 to turn them in.
But the announcement sparked an outcry from a group representing Shias as it exempted two Kurdish militias which have controlled much of northern Iraq under Western protection since the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf war and which fought alongside the US troops this year.
The Supreme Assembly of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SAIRI) insisted that the ban be applied equally.
“Maybe we didn’t fight with the coalition, but we didn’t fight against them,” (SAIRI) official Adel Abdul Mahdi told the New York Times.
“We want conditions where all militias are dissolved and we will not accept that other militias will be allowed to stay there with their weapons while we will not be there with ours.”
The group maintained its own armed wing before the invasion in exile in Iran. Washington barred it from entering Iraq, although many of its members have since slipped across the border.
PROCEDURE: Detailed procedures were set down for weapons handovers during the amnesty to prevent those complying with the order being shot at by US or British troops.
They are to be publicized as widely as possible, a spokesman said.
“Individuals will be instructed to turn in unauthorized weapons by placing the unloaded, disassembled weapon into a clear plastic bag provided by coalition forces and walk slowly to the collection point,” a coalition statement said.
“Collection points will be at designated locations like police stations and jointly manned by Iraqi and coalition forces.
“Weapons may only be turned in during daylight hours before 6pm.”
Military hardware, including mortars, hand grenades and even Israeli Uzis, has found its way into the hands of Iraqi civilians. A roadblock right outside a US camp netted three Kalashnikovs in searches of 50 cars.—AFP
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