THE EDITOR, Sir:
FOR THE past three years the annual murder rate has been over 1,400 - over 95 per cent of them inflicted by the gun. These constitute unnecessary, cruel and untimely deaths. The whole purpose of the gun is to kill. The International Council on Human Rights declared the right to life a fundamental right for all human beings. The presence of the gun, therefore, in any society, poses a threat to our basic human rights.
We, therefore, call on the Minister of National Security to implement an immediate amnesty period of 30 days to secure all firearms (guns) legal and illegal, including those of the police.
We call upon all decent and law-abiding citizens of this nation to put your voice behind the call for a gun-free Jamaica now. With a gun-free Jamaica, there will be an enormous decline, not only in the ungodly murder rate, but in other heinous crimes, such as rape, extortion, coercion, and robberies.
The army would retain arms to control border security and to defend our sovereignty.
I am, etc.,
ARTHUR GREEN
Coordinator
Universal African Improvement Association
