Anybody Want an Uzi: Indonesia

I abhor guns and what they represent and more especially what they do to people. When I was a kid my father bought me a spud gun for my birthday and that was quickly rejected.

The next year he bought me a cap gun. What is this, do I look like a mafia kid!. We have all seen in the movies those hand-machine guns that rip out tons of lead in a minute and generally carve up the neighbourhood in the process. The Jakarta Police recently caught men trying to illegally sell an Israel made Uzi 9 millimetre sub-machine gun for Rp 5 million in North Jakarta. Dread to think of what the intended use was.

Jakarta like a lot of places in Indonesia are no longer safe. Many people are worried about their safety now and will try any means to protect themselves even if it means throwing last night's curry at the perpetrators. But that's still not a good excuse for having a gun. A report in the Indonesian media said that the usage of guns in robbery and murder cases has increased. It is quite alarming. Admittedly Jakarta is far from Bali but so were the wretched claws of Jemaah Islamiah.

In Yogyakarta a lot of the violent robberies are put down to the former police and military personnel who still have their weapons. The police and military have to be much vigilant on this matter because before too long, it will be Uzi's and bombs that are used to terrify not only locals, but tourists.
In another case recently a retired army general was found to have a cache of weapons in his house and it seems according to the reports they were not the type used by the military. So, who's going to use them?. Those who intend to incite riots?. Or, those who want to establish private armies or just want to kill someone. It is a frightening prospect.

Indeed the Uzi concerned came from Israel and therefore the Custom and Excise officers at ports should tighten their inspection schemes to curb the practice of smuggling. But again, a few large Rupiah notes in the top pocket makes a person look the other way, so to speak.

If the influx of these deadly guns ever reaches the wrong hands and we all know who I am talking about, then nowhere would be safe.

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