Arms and security in the Caucasus
Anna Matveeva
THE CAUCASUS CONTINUES to be burdened by unresolved conflicts, a lack of regional co-operation and widespread possession of small arms and light weapons (SALW). Arms were acquired at a time when the Soviet system was collapsing and much of the region was descending into ethnic conflict; in areas of continuing in- security, conflicting parties and individuals still keep hold of their weapons. SALW proliferation presents a grave risk, endangering peace and stability, and heightening fears of further conflicts. It also has clear humanitarian consequences. These include higher levels of street crime and an increase in mortality rates as a result of homicide, suicide, accidents and outbreaks of armed violence. Personal disputes are settled by force more often than they would be otherwise. With the increase in crime, private security companies and bodyguards inevitably proliferate, and businesses are forced to pay ‘protection’ money. Yet SALW cannot be seen as an evil per se; rather they need to be treated in the context of wider security issues. Effective disarmament is not feasible until more has been done to address the issues that cause people in the Caucasus to hold on to their weapons. These relate to the weakness of the state and its inability to address its security challenges and reform its security sector. Until the states of the Caucasus provide for their citizens’ security by resolving conflicts between majority and minority populations and creating an environment where there is unlikely to be further conflict, people will continue to feel the need for arms. Although it is widely acknowledged that SALW proliferation in the Caucasus is a serious security concern, there is little detailed analysis of its dimensions.1 Just how many weapons are in circulation? How were these weapons acquired, and which types of guns are widespread? What role do guns play in society? This report seeks to find some answers to these questions by exploring the dynamics of SALW proliferation in the region and looking at it in the context of the local security environment. It is com- prised of six case studies written by local researchers in the Caucasus, complemented by a chapter on the view from Moscow. Each case study aims to provide answers to the following questions:
1 A notable exception is Demetriou S, Politics from the Barrel of a Gun: Small Arms Proliferation and Conflict in the Republic of Georgia (1989–2001), (Small Arms Survey, 2002). 2 THE CAUCASUS: ARMED AND DIVIDED · ARMS AND SECURITY IN THE CAUCASUS