When law enforcement officials are able to trace small arms back to their last legitimate owner – who might then be held accountable – this forms an effective measure against the diversion of weapons. For that purpose, it is essential that the weapon be marked upon production and import and that appropriate records be kept.
Also existing stocks should be marked.
Most weapons carry official markings. These chronicle their history from production to the last legal owner.
Uniquely marked weapons make it possible to detect breaches of arms embargoes and diversion. How weapons arrive in conflict or post-conflict environments should be carefully monitored by those wishing to develop effective measures against illicit flows and the uncontrolled circulation of arms.
Although many weapons are marked when produced and some when imported, international cooperation in marking and tracing of small arms is in its infancy.
To trace a weapon back to its point of diversion, not only does it need to carry a uniquely identifiable marking; also readily accessible records of its history of ownership and movement need to be available.
Proper record-keeping systems include short training for personnel on the types of information that they need to record:
Weapons record-keeping has become a formal part of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes.
Weapons collection records are valuable evidence. n expert must analyse them to confirm their accuracy and identify significant trends in the distribution of weapons. Basic training and expert analysis thus may serve as three pillars underpinning improved recordkeeping and tracing efforts in which the United Nations is involved.
Disarmament in Review
