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Abstract: Do voluntary small arms collections reduce violence? Do they work in isolation,
or do they have to be combined with other control measures? The first
chapter of this publication attempts to answer these questions by analysing
the impact in the state of Rio de Janeiro of a national small arms buyback
campaign that took place from July 2004 to October 2005. The study, by Dreyfus,
De Sousa Nascimento, and Guedes, concludes that in Rio de Janeiro, small
arms voluntary collection campaigns do indeed reduce armed violence, as long
as they are not implemented in isolation; they must be combined with other
preventative measures. These conclusions are controversial in many countries,
but are no longer disputed in Brazil, a country where approximately 100 people
die each day as a result of small arms.
The conclusions have since been confirmed in a nationwide study by the
Brazilian Ministries of Health and Justice. According to these ministries, the
number of gun-related deaths decreased by 12 per cent over three years, from
39,325 deaths in 2003 to 34,648 in 2006. The rate of deaths caused by small
arms decreased from 22.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2003 to 18 in 2006, equal
to a fall of 18 per cent in relative numbers (MS and SVS, 2007). The government
study finds that the reduction was higher in those states where a higher
quantity of small arms was handed in during the buyback campaign. A ban
on civilians carrying guns introduced in 2003 also contributed by lowering
the number of deaths in interpersonal conflicts such as bar brawls and traffic
altercations.
Abstract: This report updates the topic of Iran’s Growing Relations with Latin America [page 5]. Over the past several years, U.S. officials and other observers have expressed concerns about
Iran’s increasing activities in Latin America, particularly under the government of President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. For example, in January 2009 congressional testimony, Secretary of
Defense Robert Gates maintained that he was concerned about the level of “subversive activity
that the Iranians are carrying on in a number of places in Latin America, particularly South
America and Central America.” There has been some contention, however, over the level and significance of Iran’s linkages with
the region. One view emphasizes that Iran’s relations with several Latin American leaders who
have employed strong anti-U.S. rhetoric and its past support for terrorist activities in the region
are reasons why its presence should be considered a potential destabilizing threat to the region.
Another school of thought emphasizes that Iran’s domestic politics and strategic orientation
toward the Middle East and Persian Gulf region will preclude the country from sustaining a focus
on Latin America. Adherents of this view assert that Iran’s promised aid and investment to Latin
America have not materialized. Some observers holding both of these views contend that while Iran’s activities in Latin America do not currently constitute a major threat to U.S. national
security, there is enough to be concerned about to keep a watchful eye on developments in case it
becomes a more serious threat. On October 27, 2009, the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on
the Western Hemisphere held a hearing on “Iran in the Western Hemisphere” that reflected these
range of views.
Abstract: We face nation states, terrorist networks, organized criminal groups, individuals, and other
cyber actors with varying combinations of access, technical sophistication and intent. Many
have the capabilities to target elements of the US information infrastructure for intelligence
collection, intellectual property theft, or disruption. Terrorist groups and their sympathizers have
expressed interest in using cyber means to target the United States and its citizens. Criminal
elements continue to show growing sophistication in their technical capability and targeting.
Today, cyber criminals operate a pervasive, mature on-line service economy in illicit cyber
capabilities and services, which are available to anyone willing to pay. Globally, widespread
cyber-facilitated bank and credit card fraud has serious implications for economic and financial systems and the national security, intelligence, and law enforcement communities charged with
protecting them.
Abstract: At least 71 journalists were killed across the globe in 2009, the Committee to Protect Journalists announced Tuesday, the largest annual toll in the 30 years the group has been keeping track.
Twenty-nine of those deaths came in a single, politically motivated massacre of reporters and others in the Philippines last November, the worst known episode for journalists, the committee said.
But there were other worrisome trends. The two nations with the highest number of journalists incarcerated — China had 24 journalists imprisoned at the end of 2009 and Iran had 23 — were particularly harsh in taking aim at bloggers and others using the Internet. The number jailed in Iran has since jumped to 47, the committee said. Of the 71 confirmed deaths, 51 were murders, the committee said. The report noted that 24 additional deaths of journalists remained under investigation to determine if they were related to the journalists’ work. Previously, the highest number of journalists killed in a single year was 67, in 2007, when violence in Iraq was raging.
Abstract: The Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo have been plagued for years by violent
crime, much of it carried out by illegal drug-trafficking gangs. In Rio, these heavily-armed
gangs effectively control hundreds of neighborhoods and are largely responsible for the
metropolitan region having one of the highest homicide rates in the hemisphere. In São
Paulo, despite an encouraging drop in the homicide rate over the past decade, gang violence
also continues to pose a major threat to public security. Reducing violent crime and containing these gangs represents a daunting and at times
dangerous challenge for the police forces. Too often, however, rather than curbing the
violence, police officers in both states have contributed to it through the unwarranted use of
lethal force.
In nearly all cases in Rio and São Paulo in which police have killed people while on duty, the
officers involved have reported the shootings as legitimate acts of self-defense, claiming
they shot only in response to gunfire from criminal suspects. In Brazil, these cases are
referred to as “resistance” killings. Given that police officers in both states do often face real
threats of violence from gang members, many of these “resistance” killings are likely the
result of the use of legitimate force by the police. Many others, however, are clearly not.
Abstract: The failure of the state to protect the citizen has allowed the security services to be subordinated by urban bandits, cemented by the corrupt transition of heavier arms from police to gang. As the state continues to recede, the police become the favela's enemy and competing militia now displace the rule of law. Since the 1970s gangs have become increasingly pervasive in Rio's shanty-towns - home today to around 2 million people or 20 per cent of Greater Rio. They provide "quick money" and social status for some of the city's poorest inhabitants and lock the communities in which they operate in a cycle of dependence and violence. Because of the confrontational attitude favoured by successive governments to deal with the city's chronic public security problem, 13 years after Maicão's death Rio's communities continue to be caught in the crossfire between gangs and police.
The total number of people shot dead nationwide fell by 12 per cent from around 39,400 in 2003 to 34,648 in 2006 as a result of a gun amnesty, stricter controls on the possession of arms and improved police intelligence. But guns are still responsible for massive numbers of deaths in Rio - Brazil's former capital and its second largest city. The Legal Medical Institute (IML), whose duty it is to perform autopsies on all murder victims, estimates that its branch in downtown Rio examined 9,000 corpses in 2007 - the majority of them being gunshot victims.
Abstract: Brazil has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, with over 48,000 people killed
each year. Murders by gangs, inmates, the police, death squads and hired killers regularly make
headlines in Brazil and around the world. Extrajudicial executions and vigilante justice are
supported by a sizable proportion of the population, who fear high crime rates and who perceive
that the criminal justice system is too slow to prosecute criminals effectively. Many politicians,
keen to curry favour with a fearful electorate, have failed to demonstrate the political will
necessary to curb executions by the police.
This attitude must change. States have an obligation to protect their citizens by preventing
and punishing criminal violence. This obligation, however, goes together with the State’s duty to
ensure respect for the right to life of all citizens, including that of criminal suspects. There is no
conflict between the right of all Brazilians to security and freedom from criminal violence and
the right not to be arbitrarily shot by the police. Murder is not an acceptable or effective
crime-control technique.
In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary
executions argues for a new approach and recommends reforms directed at the civil police, the
military police, police internal affairs, forensics, ombudsmen, public prosecutors, the judiciary
and the prison administration. The scope of the reforms required is daunting, but reform is both
possible and necessary.
The people of Brazil did not struggle valiantly against 20 years of dictatorship or adopt a
federal Constitution dedicated to restoring respect for human rights to make Brazil free for police
officers to kill with impunity in the name of security.
Abstract: The illicit trade in rough diamonds is one of the greatest
threats facing the Kimberley Process (KP) certification
scheme. The KP was created to halt and prevent the
trade in conflict diamonds that cost so many lives
during the last two decades. At the end of the scheme’s
fifth year, the trafficking of conflict and illicit stones is
looking more like a dangerous rule than an exception.
Partnership Africa Canada and Global Witness have long
argued that the Kimberley Process should be more
proactive in monitoring infringements, and tougher in
curtailing this illicit trade. The situation today is getting
worse. In Venezuela, rampant diamond smuggling
continues while the government flouts the certification
scheme. Despite a UN embargo on Ivorian conflict
diamonds, stones are still mined in northern Côte
d’Ivoire, smuggled into international trading centres and
sold on to consumers. Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
governor Gideon Gono recently stated that over 10,000
people were visiting the border town of Mutare every
month for illegal activities involving diamonds. Gono
said that over 2,000 local syndicates were smuggling
diamonds out of the country.
This paper reviews the issues around illicit flows of
rough diamonds, particularly in countries facing serious
challenges in controlling the artisanal mining sector.
We present the results of a survey assessing how
participant countries are enforcing KP controls and
monitoring the diamond industry, and we put forward
specific recommendations for changing the way the KP
is managed and implemented. We hope that the
procrastination and denial that have gripped the
Kimberley Process on these issues in recent years can be
replaced at the forthcoming Plenary Meeting in New Delhi
with a proactive and dedicated response to the problems.
Abstract: Le produit le plus récent et le plus détaillé à être conçu par securitehumaine-villes.org, cette publication s'appuie sur les travaux de 40 collaborateurs externes qui appliquent un prisme urbain à des thèmes tels que les enfants et les conflits armés, la réforme des systèmes de sécurité, les armes de petit calibre et les armes légères, la stabilisation et la reconstruction, la consolidation de la paix et la promotion de la démocratie.
Abstract: In Brazil, if you are a young male with age between 15 and 29, the possibilities of being in a firearm related homicide are much elevated than any other age group (60.2% of the homicides are registered in this age group). These are the basic characteristics of the main risk group. For that reason, and for effective action against this phenomenon, a change is necessary on legislations and on governmental programs in order to allow the implementation of positive measures, such as prevention programs, treatment and rehabilitation initiatives involving the affected communities.
Abstract: Another kind of war within the context of a “clash of civilizations†is being waged in various parts of the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere around the world today. Some of the main protagonists are those who have come to be designated as first-second-, and third-generation street gangs, as well as their various possible allies such as traditional Transnational Criminal Organizations. In this new type of war, national security and sovereignty of affected countries is being impinged every day, and gangs’ illicit commercial motives are, in fact, becoming an ominous political agenda.
Abstract: Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo have reached a tragic impasse. Criminal gangs - be they drug factions, death squads or para-police - have rushed to fill the vacuum left by the state, balkanising the cities into a patchwork of violent fiefdoms. The crumbling prison system has incubated sophisticated organised crime rings. The police themselves have been left vulnerable to attack, weakening their ability to play their part in protecting Brazilian citizens. Meanwhile, poor communities continue to suffer - hit by stray bullets, placed under effective curfew during police operations, and extorted by militias or traffickers.
As the new administrations take office, this short report updates Amnesty International's public security campaign. It summaries the recent shocking events and assesses the state and federal governments' responses to them. In the light of the increasing vulnerability of the state to criminality, it looks at failures across the criminal justice system, including widespread corruption that has allowed organised crime to set down roots, and fundamentally undermined society's trust in the justice system and the police.
Abstract: A global drive towards energy revenue transparency is moving forward today. This initiative presents a low cost, high-impact opportunity for both the United States and
international oil companies to combat corruption, improve investment climates, and contribute to the development of poor nations. The U.S. can also enhance its energy security by incorporating energy revenue transparency as a key component of its international energy policy. Furthermore,
the U.S. should engage China, India, Russia, and Brazil as key partners in the setting of energy revenue transparency as a global standard.
Abstract: The favelas of Rio de Janeiro - from the hilltops of the Zona Sul (south zone) to the plains of the Baixada Fluminense - live in a state of permanent tension. These are some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in Brazil, enjoying little or no provision of public services. Thrown back on their own resources, Rio's favelas have grown into networks of narrow alleys, makeshift lean-tos and improvised plumbing and wiring. For these communities the hardships of poverty are compounded by a constant sense of insecurity and imminent violence.
Abstract: Brazil is a constitutional federal republic composed of 26 states and the Federal District. The federal legislative branch exercises authority independent of the executive branch. In October 2002, voters elected President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ("Lula") of the Workers' Party (PT) to a 4-year term in a free and fair election. The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary; however, it was inefficient and, particularly at the state level, subject to political and economic influences.
The military is responsible for national defense and generally played little role in internal security. The federal police force is very small and primarily investigative; most police forces fall under the control of the states. The "civil police" are plainclothes officers with an investigative role, and the "military police" are uniformed police responsible for maintaining public order, with a separate judicial system. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, members of the security forces committed numerous serious human rights abuses, primarily at the state level.
Abstract: On 31 March 2005, 29 people were killed in the Baixada Fluminense district of Rio de Janeiro. The killings were attributed to a group, believed to consist of military police officers, who drove through the Baixada Fluminense between 8.30 and 11pm, shooting randomly at passers by. Fourteen-year-old schoolboy Douglas Brasil de Paula was playing pinball in a bar when he was killed. Elizabeth Soares de Oliveira was working in her husband's bar when she was shot. Joxc3xa3o da Costa Magalhxc3xa3es was sitting at the door of his house when the gunmen fired on him, while Rafael da Silva Couto, a 17-year-old schoolboy, was cycling along the Via Dutra when he was shot dead.
This was the worst massacre in Rio de Janeiro's history, but it was not a new or isolated phenomenon. For the millions of Brazilians(1) who live in favelas(2) - impoverished urban settlements where shelters are invariably precarious and land tenure is largely irregular - violence both as a result of criminality as well as at the hands of police(3) is an inescapable part of life.
Abstract: This chapter describes the evolution of Brazilian arms control legislation since its inception
over 70 years ago, and seeks to show that this legislation has historically favored national
security over public security and promoted the growth and strengthening of Brazilxc2x92s arms industry
(as a means to safeguarding national security) rather than regulating that industry in function
of the individual security of Brazilians. During the years of military rule, naturally, these priorities
were only strengthened.
Abstract: Follow the Money provides practical information on how citizens of resource-rich countries can become effective monitors of government earnings and expenditures. It summarizes the experiences of some of the most successful budget groups in the world. Representatives of these groups came together at Central European University in April 2004 to discuss what it takes to succeed in monitoring government management of public money.
Abstract: The primary thrust of this monograph is to explain the linkage of contemporary criminal street gangs (that is, the gang phenomenon or third generation gangs) to insurgency in terms of the instability it wreaks upon government and the concomitant challenge to state sovereignty. Although there are differences between gangs and insurgents regarding motives and modes of operations, this linkage infers that gang phenomena are mutated forms of urban insurgency. In these terms, these "new" nonstate actors must eventually seize political power in order to guarantee the freedom of action and the commercial environment they want. The common denominator that clearly links the gang phenomenon to insurgency is that the third generation gangs' and insurgents' ultimate objective is to depose or control the governments of targeted countries. As a consequence, the "Duck Analogy" applies. Third generation gangs look like ducks, walk like ducks, and act like ducksxe2x80x94a peculiar breed, but ducks nevertheless! This monograph concludes with recommendations for the United States and other countries to focus security and assistance responses at the strategic level. The intent is to help leaders achieve strategic clarity and operate more effectively in the complex politically dominated, contemporary global security arena.
Abstract: The Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee
holds hearings on trade disputes in Ecuador and Peru. Thanks to booming
exports, Brazil expects to grow 4.5 percent this year. Argentine Supreme Court declares
the conversion of dollar-denominated bank deposits into pesos constitutional.
Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolaxc3xb1os faces impeachment threat over campaign
finance allegations. Vxc3xa1zquez wins first round of presidential elections in Uruguay.
A Canadian submarine is rescued by the British Royal Navy off the coast of Scotland.
Government officials in the Dominican Republic say there is still time to negotiate
with the United States on sugar. Mexican President Vicente Fox visits Ottawa.
The Governor General of Canada opens the new session of parliament on
October 5, 2004. Proposals to change the Hydrocarbons Laws creates a political and
economic firestorm in Bolivia.
Abstract: September is marked by positive economic news for Brazil. The Venezuelan opposition's
charge of fraud in the tallying of the August 15 referendum results gets no
traction. The Colombian government's effort to disarm paramilitary groups is encountering
problems. Newly-inaugurated Panamanian President Martin Torrijos
faces what has become a common challenge for new Latin American chief executives.
The Government of Haiti reports that 1,500 people were killed, more than
200,000 left homeless and over 1,050 missing in the wake of tropical storm Jeanne.
UN report identifies Canada as a key beneficiary of outsourcing. Argentina and
Brazil integrate energy efforts. Mexican President and Japanese Prime Minister sign
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a bilateral free trade agreement. Dominican Republic's president indicates he will
not veto a new tax bill.
Abstract: Corruption charges against former state presidents continue in Central America.
President Bush makes his first official visit to Canada. PRI takes governorships in
Puebla, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas; PAN wins Tlaxcala governorship. OAS optimistic
about possible paramilitary de-mobilization in Colombia. The Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation Forum (APEC) summit, in Chile is the first to involve all the
Forum members' heads of state. The United States begins implementation of the
United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Technology (US-VISIT) at its land borders
with Canada and Mexico. The Brazilian economy continues to show solid
macroeconomic indicators and growth. Bush administration officials highlight immigration
reform as a priority during Bush's second term.
Abstract: Canada and the United States amend the NORAD agreement. The United States and Mexico sign a Social Security Totalization Agreement. Leonel Fernxc3xa1ndez is sworn in as President of the Dominican Republic. The OAS and Carter Center confirm that about 60 percent of those going to the polls voted to keep President Hugo Chxc3xa1vez in office. President Lula's opposition gains more ammunition for criticizing the government. The Colombian government offer of a "humanitarian" exchange with the FARC is a major policy shift. The Presidents of Peru and Bolivia sign a letter of intent to work jointly to facilitate the process of exporting natural gas. The Kirchner administration attempts to bring security to Argentina. The United States renews support for hemispheric anti-terrorism efforts.
