Jordan’s firearms draft law is clashing with a social legacy of arms possession, even though the country’s tradition legalizes the use of weapons within social boundaries and controls.
The government recently sent the 2019 weapons and ammunition draft law to the Lower House’s Legal Committee for revision, in its attempt to crack down on festive firing at celebrations.
The tradition has caused widespread controversy in recent days after the legal committee began discussing the amendment of the weapons and ammunition law drafted by former interior minister Hussein Majali in 2013.
Head of Lower House’s Legal Committee Attorney Abdel Moneim al-Oudat tried to contain part of the objections against the law, seeking to redefine arms possession and its legalization without asking citizens to hand over their weapons.
Oudat told Asharq Al-Awsat that the aim of the law is to regulate weapons possession while maintaining everyone’s right to ownership, taking into regard the rights of carrying light and automatic weapons.
He noted that the law is supposed to redefine the regulations of the Interior Ministry’s capacities in granting possession licenses.
Over the past few years, several social network pages and forums were formed to illegally sell and buy weapons. Authorities regularly announce the seizure of weapons smuggled from the border areas of the Kingdom, especially the north.
MP Oudat called for using the opportunity of presenting the bill to the House of Representatives to adopt a short and medium-term strategy to achieve specific goals through the development of legislation texts, taking into account the inherited social customs and traditions.
Earlier, Interior Minister Salameh Hammad told a number of MPs about the existence of 10 million weapons with Jordanian citizens, which drew criticism, especially that the Minister’s comment did not refer to any accurate statistical figures, which some have described as exaggerated.
Former Interior Minister Samir Habashneh revealed new figures related to arms possession and acquisition licenses, confirming to Asharq Al-Awsat there are 150,000 licenses in the Kingdom.
Habashneh questioned the accuracy of the figures circulated by MPs, quoting Minister Hammad, pointing out that they are much lower. He indicated that it is more important to regulate weapons’ possession; saying their i Jordan’s firearms draft law is clashing with a social legacy of arms possession, even though the country’s tradition legalizes the use of weapons within social boundaries and controls.
The government recently sent the 2019 weapons and ammunition draft law to the Lower House’s Legal Committee for revision, in its attempt to crack down on festive firing at celebrations.
The tradition has caused widespread controversy in recent days, after the legal committee began discussing the amendment of the weapons and ammunition law drafted by former interior minister Hussein Majali in 2013.
Head of Lower House’s Legal Committee Attorney Abdel Moneim al-Oudat tried to contain part of the objections against the law, seeking to redefine arms possession and its legalization without asking citizens to handover their weapons.
Oudat told Asharq Al-Awsat that the aim of the law is to regulate weapons possession while maintaining everyone’s right to ownership, taking into regard rights of carrying light and automatic weapons.
He noted that the law is supposed to redefine the regulations of the Interior Ministry’s capacities in granting possession licenses.
Over the past few years, several social network pages and forums were formed to illegally sell and buy weapons. Authorities regularly announce the seizure of weapons smuggled from the border areas of the Kingdom, especially the north.
MP Oudat called for using the opportunity of presenting the bill to the House of Representatives to adopt a short and medium term strategy to achieve specific goals through the development of legislation texts, taking into account the inherited social customs and traditions.
Earlier, Interior Minister Salameh Hammad told a number of MPs about the existence of 10 million weapons with Jordanian citizens, which drew criticism especially that the Minister’s comment did not refer to any accurate statistical figures, which some have described as exaggerated.
Former Interior Minister Samir Habashneh revealed new figures related to arms possession and acquisition licenses, confirming to Asharq Al-Awsat there are 150,000 licenses in the Kingdom.
Habashneh questioned the accuracy of the figures circulated by MPs, quoting Minister Hammad, pointing out that they are much lower. He indicated that it is more important to regulate weapons’ possession; saying their inventory and their whereabouts is far more important that discussing their amount.
The former minister believes it will be rather impossible to disarm people, stressing it is required to issue an official invitation that provides incentives to all those who license their weapons. This process, he believes, will provide accurate and precise information on arms possession.nventory and their whereabouts is far more important than discussing their amount.
The former minister believes it will be rather impossible to disarm people, stressing it is required to issue an official invitation that provides incentives to all those who license their weapons. This process, he believes, will provide accurate and precise information on arms possession.
