Disarmament Referendum in Brazil

Today, six days before the referendum to ban guns' trade, Alberto and I will analyze three articles about this polemic topic. Thanks.
First, we read the objective article "Tough clash ahead in Brazil referendum to ban guns" by Andrei Khalip from washingtonpost.com. Followed by "Historic Decision: Disarmament Statute Passed in Congress" from iansa.org, a biased article for the prohibition of guns' trade. And finally, "Rare drop in gun deaths in Brazil" By Steve Kingstone is an objective article from bbc.co.uk, showing both sides of the corner.

Here are the arguments exposed by the articles and their authors:

Arguments in favor of the prohibition:
- Brazil has the highest number of gun deaths in the world, with 36,091 people shot and killed last year, according to government figures.
- Human rights groups endorse the government-proposed ban.
- Representatives of these NGOs welcomed the provision on the referendum, saying they believe it will spark a national debate, promoting awareness that will help implement and enforce the new law.
- The minimum age to purchase firearms will go up from 21 to 25, in a country where young males are killed by firearms at a rate four times higher than that of the general population.
- In Rio de Janeiro, the gun death rate among young people reaches 239 per 100,000 residents, twenty times higher than the rate in the United States or 2,000 times higher than in Japan.
- The first mobilization brought together 50,000 people to march for the Disarmament Statute in Rio de Janeiro.
- The combination of popular demonstrations, an intense and spontaneous campaign against armed violence by the main media outlets, and the shocking 40,000 people were killed by guns last year alone – led 82% of Brazilians, to support the Disarmament Statute according to a recent poll by Instituto Sensus.
- Last year 36,000 people were killed by guns.
- There are more gun deaths in Brazil than in any other country, and since the early 1990s the annual number of fatalities has risen grimly.
- Until last year 36,000 people were killed with firearms. That is still a shocking 99 deaths per day.

Arguments against the prohibition:
- The country could be made defenseless against any Nazi-like tyranny – Equal to Nazi Germany's decision to ban guns for civilians in 1938.
- The vice president and defense minister, Jose Alencar, says the ban would encourage criminals.
- It would be a threat to democracy.
- Some groups acknowledge the prohibition of legal gun sales would not reduce the arsenals held by dreaded drug gangs and other criminals.
- Almost 60 percent of an estimated 17 million guns in Brazil were obtained illegally, said the human and social rights group Viva Rio.
- This vote doesn't disarm the criminals.
- Police, judges, firefighters and security firms will be able to buy guns for private and official use.
- Brazil's gun control laws, which were tightened in December 2003, are already very strict. They require psychological and gun-handling tests, a clean criminal record and high registration fees that are too costly for many Brazilians.
- Last year 36,000 people were killed by guns - a drop of 8% from 2003, according to the health ministry.
- That is until last year when 36,000 people were killed with firearms. That is still a shocking 99 deaths per day, but less than in 2003.



As we can see, both sides have solid arguments and it is up to the population to make the right decision. If the "Yes" wins, it could set a precedent for campaigns in other countries. Otherwise, Brazilian gun industry tends to develop itself.