Death sentence awaits illegal gun owners, smugglers

Death sentence awaits illegal gun owners, smugglers

JAKARTA (JP): Possessing a gun in this country without the
proper documents could leave you facing a possible death
sentence.

Article 1 of the 47-year-old Emergency Law number 12 makes
owning or carrying firearms illegal. Those caught in possession
of guns, ammunition or explosive weapons are liable to the death
penalty or 20 years imprisonment.

The article also states that anyone caught smuggling firearms
or ammunition into the country will face the same punishment.

Investigators are given wide ranging powers to investigate
firearms related cases.

By law, only civilians grouped in four categories are allowed
by the authorities to possess guns, excluding standard Armed
Forces (ABRI) weapons, under an official license issued by the
National Police chief, Col. Bambang S. Haryoko, a National Police
spokesman explained.

Giving no details of the law, Bambang was quoted by Kontan
business weekly as saying that the first two of the four groups
were Satpam (security guards) normally hired by banks, property
developers and offices, and Polsus (special police), which
include custom and excise officers.

The other two groups are firstly those who possess firearms
for sports, and secondly for self-defense and collection.

So, can any civilian freely possess firearms provided that
they sign a written statement to say that they will only fire it
in self-defense?

Yes.

But one must meet complicated requirements before the permits,
which must be signed personally by the National Police chief, can
be obtained, he explained.

According to Bambang, applicants must provide documentary
evidence of the status of their health, shooting qualifications
and a written recommendation from a regional police chief, a
regional office of the Coordinating Body for National Stability
and the head of the ABRI Intelligence Agency.

The question now is whether you have to bow down to the law,
and possibly criminals as well, or decide to protect yourself.

Keep in mind that the country's 175,000 strong police force,
who every day vow to serve and protect the public, are of a very
small number when compared to the nation's population of 202
million.

In Jakarta, less than half of the city's 17,000 police
personnel are deployed on the streets at any one time to
safeguard the lives and livelihoods of the 10 million people who
call the capital their home. (bsr)