Interior ministry uses art in battling arms carrying aspects

Many organizations have joined the Ministry of Interior in carrying out an arms carrying ban in major cities. Besides the security measures that the Ministry is taking in implementing the ban, other organizations are helping raise awareness among the public of the dangers of carrying arms and the tragedies that it causes. The art  culture has also joined the war against arms carrying by developing many art pieces shown on TV, drawings, painting and caricatures.

The Ministry of Interior shut down more than 245 shops selling arms and arrested more than 270 people working in this trade in the past three days, said Minister of Interior, Mutahar Rashad al-Musri, last Tuesday during the inauguration of the first caricature exhibition of anti-arms carrying campaign that the Ministry is launching.

Al-Musri revealed a new draft law that is currently displayed in the Parliament to regulate arms possession and carrying. The exhibitions organized by the security sector at the Ministry of Interior under the slogan No to Arms Carrying affirms the ministries concern in applying strict measures in implementing the arms carrying ban in major cities and capitals.

“This ban was first issued to enhance security and stability throughout the country and guarantee law enforcement,” said al-Musri.        

“Security units went beyond what was specified in the first phase of collecting arms from capitals of major cities to shut down arms shops in all Yemen’s governorates,” said al-Mussri. He indicated that organizing this exhibition comes from the Ministry to raise awareness among the public about dangers of arms carrying and help create an educated generation armed with science and knowledge. Al-Musri stressed the importance of the security measures, education and guidance as means of fighting aspects of arms carrying, selling and trading. He said that the Ministry has a goals-specified plan to eliminate the presence of arms carrying. The plan is carried out in two phases: first to ban arms carrying in major cities and their capitals and the second is to shut down all arms shops to dry up the sources.   

Speaking to the media, al-Musri said that art is a noble message that has to be used to serve security, fighting crimes and terrorism, commenting on some pictures that carry guidance messages. He said that such exhibitions have to be set up in all cities, especially cities where crimes resulting from arms have spread. He said the ministry will expand the ban to include districts and their major cities throughout Yemen. Al-Musri considered this exhibition as an advanced step to involve civil society organizations in raising awareness among the people and expressed the concern of the ministry in working in different directions whether in raising awareness through art or taking security measures. Al-Musri finally called on all citizens and students to visit the exhibition to learn and help in the spread of the culture of science and knowledge armament and stand against arms carrying, which harms national interests.   

Among the caricaturists that participated in the exhibition was Adnan al-Mahagri, Adel al-Mawri, Abdul-Majeed al-Radhi and Mazen Shoj’a al-Dein. Visitors of the exhibition praised the works of the artists and said that they have clear messages that can really create a social awareness on arms carrying dangers.

The total number of arms seized since the ban came into effect on August 23, 2007 is 168,584. According to a report issued by the Ministry of Interior, human casualties decreased to 151 deaths in all governorates in the year after the ban on weapon carrying was implemented, compared to 569 deaths in the preceding year. The number of criminal cases dropped to 1921 after the implementation of the resolution, compared to 3926 cases before the resolution was issued, a fall of 51 percent. 

Rector of Sana’a University, Dr Khaled Tamim, deans of colleges at Sana’a University and many high ranking security officers attended the inauguration of the exhibition that will last for three days.

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