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)