From the 24 October Wall Street Journal:
Switzerland Reconsiders Tradition Of Issuing Weapons To Citizens By Edward
Taylor, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal Switzerland and guns go
hand-in-hand. The country's 5.7 million citizens possess 439,000
government-issued assault weapons, as part of a 126-year-old tradition of
equipping the people for national defense. But now, some Swiss are more
worried about their own people with guns than about external threats. In
July, three right-wing youths attacked a well-known residence for
left-wing activists in Berne, firing up to 100 rounds into the occupied
house. According to Berne city police, the youths wanted to rid
Switzerland of "lefties." One of the assault rifles used in the attack was
issued by the Swiss army. The attack, in which no one was injured, broke a
Swiss taboo of "Ehr und Wehr" (honor and defense) not to use the
government weapon for anything other than the defense of the country. "The
willingness of right-wing extremists to use violence fills me with
consternation. In particular, the fact that explosives and assault rifles
are being used," said Federal Councilor Ruth Metzler-Arnold, chairwoman of
the Federal Department of Justice and Police. 'It Is Pointless' The summer
attack sparked several articles in Swiss newspapers about taking military
guns out of people's homes. It also revived interest in a 1990 commission
that looked at army reforms. The commission proposed keeping assault
rifles in barracks, said Martin Killias, a professor of criminology at the
University of Lausanne who served on the commission. Not everyone agrees
with the idea. "It is pointless to take away the assault rifle in order to
reduce criminality," argues Hansruedi Solberger, president of Pro Tell. He
points out that there are many nonmilitary weapons in circulation, and
says that criminals would never give up their guns anyway. Pro Tell, a
group advocating liberal arms laws, takes its name from Swiss folk hero
William Tell, who was forced to shoot an apple from his son's head with a
crossbow, and afterward killed his Austrian oppressor. The government has
issued weapons to its citizens since 1874. Every able-bodied 18-year-old
man who is not a conscientious objector is taught how to use an automatic
rifle in the army. (Military service is not compulsory for women.) But
with the demise of the Soviet threat, not to mention peace and a common
currency among its once-warring neighbors, the Swiss government is
assessing the need for maintaining one of Europe's largest reserve armies.
"The Swiss army needs to change," says Professor Kurt R. Spilmann,
director at the Center for Security Studies and Conflict Research at the
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. "The security concept based around
the rapid mobilization of a militia to defend one single country from
invasion is no longer a scenario that is very probable." The army isn't
arguing. A spokesman for the Swiss army general staff confirms that the
Swiss government will unveil reforms for the armed forces by January. As
part of the reforms, compulsory annual target practice (to be completed
during nonmilitary time) is under review. If such practice is abolished,
it would call into question the need to maintain an assault rifle outside
military service. 'Symbol of Trust' Mr. Killias, of the University of
Lausanne, says it's an ideal opportunity to rid living rooms of military
weapons. "Arguments that have been accepted in reducing road deaths can
also be applied to prevent crimes with weapons. The introduction of speed
bumps and traffic lights have changed the ability of irresponsible people
to pose a threat to others. Removing the gun from the living room can do
the same," says the criminologist, who is also a reserve judge at the
Swiss Federal Supreme Court. At the very least, he says, Switzerland's
high rate of suicide would be reduced. However, Swiss politicians are
largely in favor of forcing the Swiss, by law, to keep the personal weapon
and ammunition in the home. "The rifle became the ultimate symbol of
trust between the state and its citizens when the Swiss government decided
to bequeath it to soldiers after the completion of compulsory military
service," says Hans-Ulrich Jost, professor of contemporary history at the
University of Lausanne. "The government entrusted the citizen with a
weapon that could be used in a revolution against it." Mr. Killias is
undeterred. "Many taboos are breaking down in Switzerland, and the weapons
lobby are no longer in the majority," he says. "Crimes with assault rifles
are few, but like road deaths we should regard each incident as one too
many."
Switzerland Reconsiders Tradition Of Issuing Weapons To Citizens By Edward
Taylor, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal Switzerland and guns go
hand-in-hand. The country's 5.7 million citizens possess 439,000
government-issued assault weapons, as part of a 126-year-old tradition of
equipping the people for national defense. But now, some Swiss are more
worried about their own people with guns than about external threats. In
July, three right-wing youths attacked a well-known residence for
left-wing activists in Berne, firing up to 100 rounds into the occupied
house. According to Berne city police, the youths wanted to rid
Switzerland of "lefties." One of the assault rifles used in the attack was
issued by the Swiss army. The attack, in which no one was injured, broke a
Swiss taboo of "Ehr und Wehr" (honor and defense) not to use the
government weapon for anything other than the defense of the country. "The
willingness of right-wing extremists to use violence fills me with
consternation. In particular, the fact that explosives and assault rifles
are being used," said Federal Councilor Ruth Metzler-Arnold, chairwoman of
the Federal Department of Justice and Police. 'It Is Pointless' The summer
attack sparked several articles in Swiss newspapers about taking military
guns out of people's homes. It also revived interest in a 1990 commission
that looked at army reforms. The commission proposed keeping assault
rifles in barracks, said Martin Killias, a professor of criminology at the
University of Lausanne who served on the commission. Not everyone agrees
with the idea. "It is pointless to take away the assault rifle in order to
reduce criminality," argues Hansruedi Solberger, president of Pro Tell. He
points out that there are many nonmilitary weapons in circulation, and
says that criminals would never give up their guns anyway. Pro Tell, a
group advocating liberal arms laws, takes its name from Swiss folk hero
William Tell, who was forced to shoot an apple from his son's head with a
crossbow, and afterward killed his Austrian oppressor. The government has
issued weapons to its citizens since 1874. Every able-bodied 18-year-old
man who is not a conscientious objector is taught how to use an automatic
rifle in the army. (Military service is not compulsory for women.) But
with the demise of the Soviet threat, not to mention peace and a common
currency among its once-warring neighbors, the Swiss government is
assessing the need for maintaining one of Europe's largest reserve armies.
"The Swiss army needs to change," says Professor Kurt R. Spilmann,
director at the Center for Security Studies and Conflict Research at the
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. "The security concept based around
the rapid mobilization of a militia to defend one single country from
invasion is no longer a scenario that is very probable." The army isn't
arguing. A spokesman for the Swiss army general staff confirms that the
Swiss government will unveil reforms for the armed forces by January. As
part of the reforms, compulsory annual target practice (to be completed
during nonmilitary time) is under review. If such practice is abolished,
it would call into question the need to maintain an assault rifle outside
military service. 'Symbol of Trust' Mr. Killias, of the University of
Lausanne, says it's an ideal opportunity to rid living rooms of military
weapons. "Arguments that have been accepted in reducing road deaths can
also be applied to prevent crimes with weapons. The introduction of speed
bumps and traffic lights have changed the ability of irresponsible people
to pose a threat to others. Removing the gun from the living room can do
the same," says the criminologist, who is also a reserve judge at the
Swiss Federal Supreme Court. At the very least, he says, Switzerland's
high rate of suicide would be reduced. However, Swiss politicians are
largely in favor of forcing the Swiss, by law, to keep the personal weapon
and ammunition in the home. "The rifle became the ultimate symbol of
trust between the state and its citizens when the Swiss government decided
to bequeath it to soldiers after the completion of compulsory military
service," says Hans-Ulrich Jost, professor of contemporary history at the
University of Lausanne. "The government entrusted the citizen with a
weapon that could be used in a revolution against it." Mr. Killias is
undeterred. "Many taboos are breaking down in Switzerland, and the weapons
lobby are no longer in the majority," he says. "Crimes with assault rifles
are few, but like road deaths we should regard each incident as one too
many."