The question about illicit trade of arms in Macedonia, because there is a big amount of illegal arm, started in the years when Macedonia struggled for independence. In this period, a war was raging in the other ex-Yugoslav republics. Macedonia was a transit zone for the arms transfer. As a result of this, a part of the arms stayed here.

NGO-JCWE, which immediately after its foundation started its work with the basic principle of existence, considers that with the involvement in the process of control of the decreasing of small and light weapon illicit trade, that exists among young people, it will contribute to the development of human rights.

Information that we have shows that there is a big amount of illegal arms in Macedonia. Our association of journalists often meets contradictory data for the amounts and origin of the arms. Thus, we think that it is necessary for the independent media and institutions to conduct explicit researches on these issues.

The cooperation with IANSA gives us the possibility to notice the different methods in different countries and the opportunity to solve these problems. As a result of our activities and the cooperation with IANSA we have received the project for a research of the public opion concerning the use of illegal arms and to establish strong relations with other NGO from the region in the frame of the network.

NGO - Journalist for Women and Children's Rights and Protection of the Environment in Macedonia (JCWE) started the first phase of the project NETWORK AGAINST SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN THE BALKANS in the beginning of March.    

The project was devided in three phases. The first phase was preparation of a research: anonymous telephone questionnaire and establishing relations with similar NGOs form the Balkans. At the same time we put a new web site within the web site of JCWE (http://www.detstvo.org.mk/bansa/1.htm). There we have published the news from the Balkan countries related to the small arms and light weapons issues, official data for presence of arms in the country, as well as all information concerning these issues.

The second phase of the project was conducting of a research. We made an anonymous telephone questionnaire that covered 1200 people from the eight biggest towns in Macedonia: Skopje 43,68%, Tetovo 13,79%, Gostivar 8,67 %, Ohrid 4,87%, Kumanovo 10,24%, Bitola 8,67%, Strumica 7,29% and Gevgelija 2,79%. (The percentage concerns those polled).

The third phase of the project was writing of an analysis of the research and then we started with a TV media campaign. We made a video which was broadcasted by five TV stations in the country. (Because of the shortage of time according to the "programme policy", some of them will broadcast it in April)

At the end of this phase of the project we organised a press conference where we explained the results of the research. There were journalists from 11 media from Macedonia at the press conference which was broadcasted by "Macedonian Radio" and the radio "Free Europe". We gave all journalists a press kit where we explained the research results.

RESEARCH RESULTS

The research for illegal use of small arms and light weapons in Macedonia was conducted in the same time with the initiative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for volontary action for disarmament of illegal arms, ammunition and explosive material. This was the forth initiative in the last 10 years. According to the experts there are more than 500.000 pieces of illegal arms in Macedonia. They also say that about 400.000 pieces of arms in Macedonia came from Albania in 1997. In the period between 1997 and 2002 more than 100.000 pieces of illegal arms were imported in Macedonia. In the NATO action "Task Force Harvest" only 3.370 pieces of illegal arms in Macedonia were collected last year.

From the research we can notice that people are well informed about small arms and light weapons, but they do not want to speak or reveal that they are in possesion of guns.

Regarding the sex: 52,57% women and 47,25% men replied to the questionnaire. Regarding the domographic structure: 80,77% were from urban regions and 19,23% from rural regions in Macedonia.

Regarding the age, there were four age groups: 13,73% were 18-25 year old, 49,05% were 26-40 year old, 29,12% were 41-59 year old and 12,10% were over 60 year old.

In respect of the nationality: 71,97% were Macedonians, 10,99% were Albanians and other (Turks 6,6%, Romanies 3,85%, Vlach 0,56%, Serbs 3,3%)

 Their reply was:

From the research results we received we can notice that 35,71% of the citizens in Macedonia is in possesion of arms, but 42,32% of them had a direct contact with arms. 28,57% of the people asked thinks that every second household has arms, but 52,20% from the people polled think that nobody or only few families possess arms. This indicates that there are a lot of illegal arms in Macedonia. According to the last census (conducted 1994), in Macedonia there are 502.000 households. If 28,57% of the people polled think that every second household possesses arms, that indicates that 250.000 households in Macedonia are in possession of arms. The fact that two thirds of the polled think that the arms come from the black market is deterrent. About 64% of the people polled say that the arms come from the blach market. This means that big quantity of arms is illegal. Also, the fact that the arms come from the neighbouring countries shows that there are a lot of illegal weapons in the region due to the war in the former Yugoslav republics.

So, this is the motive to start and enlarge the campaign. In this period the state institutions also made an effort for returning of the illegal arms. The fact that a big number of people polled (57,69%) have heard of cases of people injured or killed with arms, indicates a hign level of uncontrolled use of arms.

Regarding the prices of weapons, the persons polled think that a gun on the black market costs between US $50 and US $200. This means that the arms are not expensive ant that a lot of people can buy it.

About the question who possesses the arms, the largest number of people polled (40,66%) thinks that it is the criminals, but 10% of them think that the weapons dealers are the ones that possess the arms. Victims of the illegal arms use usually are the random passerbies (37,36%), but the number of children victim is also high - 18,13%. 73,07% of the people polled blame the government for the use of weapons. 45,05% of them predict that a solution for this would be passing new law and educating the students about the risk of using small arms and light weapons in the educational process in Macedonia.

Remarks: (*)
- about the question number 6 - 9,34% think that the arms may come from the black market, from the shops and abroad
- about the question number 8 - 8,8% say that the arms are comming from abroad and from the mafia
- about the question number 9 - 23,63% think that everyone possesses the arms
- about the question number 10 - 32,97% think that the victims also include children, women and criminals...
- about the question 12 - 21,98% of the people polled think that the solution would be in combination of the three answers

- about the question 13 – only 4,94% think that everybody mentioned in the question is guilty for the situation.

From the answers we can also notice that 25% of the women polled were in direct contact with arms, but 37,5% of man polled never touched arms.

About the question: What’s nessesary to do for changing the sitiuation?, (the largest number of answers from the people in the age group between 26-40 year), 28 % of them think that the solution is in the educational process in the school concerning the risks of using small arms and light weapons. But, only 1,2% think that the solution is in closing the factories for guns and ammunition.

The citizens of Kumanovo gave us some interesting answers. On the question: Who posses the arms? - 50% replied that drug addicts are in possession of guns.

Also, 30% of Albanians are not aquainted with the law for possession of arms in Macedonia, but 78,46% of Macedonian people are familiar with the law for possession of arms.