Search Conference On Juridical And Social Aspects Of Blank Firing Guns
12 January 2008
Dedeman Hotel
Nazire Dedeman
Founder President of Umut Foundation
Speech Text
Distinguished guests,
First of all, I would like to thank you all infinitely for sparing your valuable time to join the Search Conference on Juridical and Social Aspects of Blank Firing Guns we organized in order to secure the safety of the lives of our citizens and due to our longing to build a society dominated by peace together.
In 2007, Umut Foundation founded a Commission on blank firing guns, which have been our concern and we have been pointing out their dangers for years. The said commission gathered 4 times between May and October 2007 and completed the framework for the The Search Conference on Juridical and Social Aspects of Blank Firing Guns and shared information by inviting the related parties. As a result of the Commission Meetings we presented our observations and suggestions on juridical and social aspects of blank firing guns as a report to the related parties: legislative bodies.
Even though the blank firing guns matter has frequently been in the agenda of our society only for the past year; blank guns, which have been converted into real ones have cost the lives of many of our citizens. Quite opposite to what people think, blanks are not toys. They are very dangerous tools of violence that can end peoples lives. There may not be a toy version or an imitation of a tool of violence. Regarding blank firing guns as toys, as well as strengthening the wrong perception of guns in the society, also helps blank firing guns to become a commonly used tool of crime in the society. They can be easily obtained and are commonly used by our children, young people and adult citizens. Therefore we feel that it is very important that all sorts of preventive measures regarding blank firing guns as well as firearms should come into effect.
During the commission work, research carried out by Umut Foundation in this topic clearly show that there are no legal arrangements regarding blank firing guns in Turkey. The addressees of this matter should quickly be determined. On the other hand, we believe that the draft bill the internal commission has been working on is a very important attempt with good intentions, which will fill a very substantive gap.
However, in order to
create a law which would prevent people from obtaining these guns be and make the sanctions should be heavier
eliminate the wrong ingrained belief in the society that blank firing guns are toys and they are harmless
create the mindset that aggress there may not be a toy version or an imitation of a gun,
we feel that it is extremely important that people with various opinions and expertise and knowledge get together and carry out an indebt interdisciplinary evaluation of the situation.
This is why we are here together today. We aimed to gather here today and use our opinions and knowledge for the benefit of the society we live in, in order to discuss every aspect of the matter by reaching everyone who has and opinion or who is knowledgeable in this subject.
The aim of our Search Conference is to determine the legal and social status of blank guns in our country by evaluating every aspect of this matter; to determine the Articles which must be included in this law; by re-observing the current legal arrangements to determine how the established perception of blank guns in our society can be altered and to determine the role of media and other social actors in this matter.
With the presentations until noon time, our aim is outline the situation regarding in general terms. After lunch we would like our Law and Security Work Group and Social Status and Media Work Group to get together and work together for about 1.5 hours and then share with us their report. In order to listen to the reports of work groups and develop them during discussions and to prepare a Final Declaration which will reflect our joint opinion; we will meet in this room at 16:00 once more.
After we determine the Final Declaration, which we will make known to the public and the related parties, we will have the opportunity for a chat at our cocktail in the lobby.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you, my valuable friends, who are here today to make a presentation or to join the discussions and I hope that we will have a fruitful al pleasurable day.
With hope for tomorrow!