Cambodia has been on its peace building effort for the sake of peace and prosperity right after emerging from the brutal violent conflict in 1991 when Paris Peace Accord was signed to end the conflict in the country. However, many challenges have been impairing this effort; not to mention the others, the proliferation of small arms such as assault rifles, grenades and pistols, has been threatening the security of the people. These small arms have been proliferating in post-conflict Cambodia as a consequence of conflict erupted in the late 1960s when the Vietnam War spilled over Cambodia. They have been instigating crime, violence and social disorder, which are the signal of future destabilization. Realizing these consequences, the government of Cambodia together with civil society, donor countries, and other stakeholders undertook a series of activities to control small arms proliferation, particularly the passing and putting into practice of the Law on the Management of Weapons, Explosives and Ammunition in 2005. Even though many efforts have been carried out, there seems no positive impact on the society as crimes, political violence, and other human rights violations still exist.
Table of Contents
1. Small Arms Situation in Post-Conflict Cambodia
2. Small Arms Control Efforts and Policy Interventions
3. The Effectiveness of Small Arms Control: An Analysis
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines the effectiveness of various policy interventions designed to curb small arms proliferation in post-conflict Cambodia, arguing that while short-term measures have been implemented, long-term success is hindered by systemic issues such as corruption, impunity, and the misuse of weapons by security forces.
- Historical context of small arms proliferation in Cambodia.
- Analysis of governmental and international policy interventions since 1997.
- The impact of the 2005 Law on the Management of Weapons, Explosives and Ammunition.
- The influence of socio-political structures, specifically boss-servant relations, on weapon misuse.
- Challenges regarding the rule of law and the culture of impunity among security personnel.
Excerpt from the Book
The Effectiveness of Small Arms Control: An Analysis
Addressing small arms proliferation in Cambodia is a complex task as in other post-conflict countries. Although many efforts to control small arms proliferation in the country have been done by both the Cambodian government and the international donor communities, their impact on the society reveal in the short-term only because still many weapons are illegally used in the country. It is believed that only a part of the collected weapons were destroyed, while leaving many of the others re-circulated (Faltas, McDonald & Waszink, 2001). The concern is that the Cambodian government lacks human and financial resources, capacities and adequate mechanisms necessary for effective stockpile management though there were technical and financial supports from the EUASAC.
With the support from EUASAC and the initiative of the Cambodian government, the Law on the Management of Weapons, Explosives and Ammunition was passed to replace the Sub-Decree No. 38 to prohibit all kinds of illegal weapons use, significantly the ownership of weapons among civilians. Although the law is expected to close the current loopholes in the existing weapons-related legislations, its effectiveness is questionably uncertain. This is partly due to the low capacity of the security forces in maintaining law and order, and low salary, which leads to low commitment and to a lesser extent low morality as security forces, who believed to hold responsibility for the safety of the people, rather than the availability of small arms in the country itself.
Summary of Chapters
Small Arms Situation in Post-Conflict Cambodia: This chapter outlines the historical legacy of the Vietnam War and internal conflict, which led to the widespread proliferation of small arms, and details the lack of public trust in security forces.
Small Arms Control Efforts and Policy Interventions: This section reviews the various initiatives taken since 1997, including collection programs, destruction ceremonies, and the implementation of the 2005 law, supported by international bodies like EUASAC.
The Effectiveness of Small Arms Control: An Analysis: This chapter critically evaluates why previous interventions have failed to produce long-term results, highlighting the loopholes in legislation and the involvement of security forces in unlawful violence.
Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes that current efforts are insufficient due to systemic social issues like nepotism, corruption, and a culture of impunity that must be addressed to achieve effective control.
Keywords
Small arms control, Post-conflict Cambodia, Policy intervention, Weapons proliferation, Security forces, Law on the Management of Weapons, Impunity, Corruption, Disarmament, EUASAC, Human rights, Peace building, Weapons collection, Boss-servant relations, Internal conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of policy interventions aimed at controlling the proliferation of small arms in post-conflict Cambodia.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
The central themes include government-led disarmament efforts, the impact of international assistance, the role of security forces in weapons misuse, and the socio-cultural challenges of corruption and impunity.
What is the main objective of the author?
The author aims to analyze whether the measures taken by the Cambodian government and international stakeholders have truly succeeded in reducing weapon misuse or if they have only provided short-term relief.
Which methodology is utilized in this paper?
The paper employs a policy analysis approach, reviewing existing laws, historical data, reports from NGOs and international organizations, and case studies of weapon misuse.
What is the core argument presented in the main section?
The author argues that current policies are insufficient because they fail to address the misuse of weapons by security forces and do not tackle the deep-seated structural issues like the culture of impunity.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Small arms control, Post-conflict, Cambodia, Disarmament, Impunity, and Security sector reform.
How did the boss-servant societal structure influence weapon-related issues in Cambodia?
The paper suggests that this structure fosters nepotism and protects powerful elites, allowing security personnel to operate with impunity and use their positions for personal gain rather than public safety.
What role did international organizations play in Cambodian disarmament?
Organizations like the EUASAC provided necessary financial and technical support, including the establishment of centralized computer databases for registering government-controlled weapons.
Why is the 2005 Law on the Management of Weapons considered to have limitations?
The law is criticized for lacking specific provisions that address the misuse of weapons by police and military personnel, leaving loopholes that contribute to ongoing human rights violations.
- Citar trabajo
- Sopheada Phy (Autor), 2009, Small Arms Control in Post-Conflict Cambodia: The Effectiveness of Policy Interventions?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/149617
