Swiss reject rigorous gun controls

Islam Times: Doctors, police associations, churches and women's groups were amongst those campaigning for ex-soldiers to store their military-issued firearms in secure army depots.

However official results showed on Sunday that at least 14 of Switzerland's 26 cantons (states) voted against the proposal to ban army rifles from homes and impose new requirements for buying other guns. Overall, about 57% of the Swiss voters rejected the plan, while 43% backed it.

Switzerland has the highest rate of gun suicide in Europe.

“If you make firearms less accessible there will be fewer suicides. It's that simple,” says Elsa Kurz of the Geneva-based organization, Stop Suicide.The group is one of many arguing that the easy availability of guns — thought to be around 2.3 million mostly military weapons in a country of less than 8 million people — is the reason why Switzerland has the highest rate of firearms suicides in Europe.

Opponents believed the proposals were a a conspiracy to undermine and weaken the countries military.

“The real purpose of this initiative is to weaken the militia army and withdraw the state's confidence in its citizens,” said Markus Mueller, spokesman for a group of former and current senior Swiss military officers.

“Only a disarmed people can be oppressed. That's why we're against this,” he added.
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