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More than 100 former MPs given deadline to return firearms
More than a hundred former parliamentarians are among those who are required to return their personal weapons obtained from the Defence Ministry for their protection in terms of the recent decision to recall all firearms issued for civilians, a Defence Ministry spokesperson said.
Defence Ministry Spokesperson Colonel Nalin Herath told the Sunday Times that the ex-MPs who recently obtained two repeater shotguns, which they were told they could keep even after they were out of office, must hand over those weapons. They would be reissued after a review.
“Since these weapons were purchased by them for their own safety, we will reissue them after the review process,” he said.
In August, the Defence Ministry introduced a mechanism allowing MPs to buy two shotguns each from their personal funds and have them licensed annually in the districts they live in.
Earlier, the Ministry had given the option of selecting two repeater shotguns from the following: Panser Arms 12 Bore Pump Action Shotgun Model SS12 (Rs 258,218.36), Panser Arms 12 Bore Ambidextrous Mag Fed Semi Auto Shotgun Model G2 Pro—Colour Black (Rs 363,117.89), or Panser Arms 12 Bore Ambidextrous Mag Fed Semi Auto Shotgun Model G2 Pro—Colour Desert (Rs 387,386.84).
The Ministry also said that the announcement would not apply to firearms that were issued to protect crops, property, or sports activities.
The Sunday Times learns that the recent call to return all civilian weapons came in the wake of reports that claimed several politicians and individuals possessed weapons without any justifiable grounds of security concerns.
Accordingly, all licensees are informed to hand over their firearms and ammunition issued to the Commercial Explosive Firearms and Ammunition Procurement Unit (CEFAP) at Sri Lanka Navy camp in Welisara before November 7.
The Ministry also said it would initiate legal action against those who failed to return their firearms and ammunition before the deadline.
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