Afghanistan: Guns Into Food

"The rule of the gun is the greatest obstacle to everlasting peace and security in our country." Mr. Hamid Karzai, the Head of the interim government of Afghanistan.

Guns Into Art (GITA) is committed to obtaining and destroying small arms in war-torn regions before these weapons can be shifted to another conflict. More…

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Afghanistan Food for Guns Swap

"The rule of the gun is the greatest obstacle to everlasting peace and security in our country." Mr. Hamid Karzai, the Head of the interim government of Afghanistan.

Guns Into Art (GITA) is committed to obtaining and destroying small arms in war-torn regions before these weapons can be shifted to another conflict.

Afghanistan's peaceful future depends on the elimination of easily available weapons and the creation of a peaceful economy. GITA's "Food for Guns Swap" in Afghanistan, will exchange goods, tools and food for weapons. GITA's gun swap will transform these weapons of destruction into productive capital that can help rebuild this war torn nation. The guns collected will then be destroyed and turned into works of art and products useful in rebuilding the economy of Afghanistan.

The "Goods for Guns Swap" will

Transform guns into productive peaceful capital

Import useful tools, food and consumer products into the Afghan economy

Create a Foundry in Afghanistan to melt the guns and make useful products for both the Afghani market and for export to the West

Provide a way for people in the West to participate in rebuilding Afghanistan through the purchase of products made of melted guns

Reduce the availability of small arms

Increase the street price of guns

Prevent the transfer of guns to other unstable regions

The "Goods for Guns Swap" will focus on guns that are easily available on the open market. It is our intention to increase the scarcity thereby driving up the price of guns. The exchange of goods for arms will import new goods into Afghanistan without depleting the country's hard currency reserves, essentially we will convert the nation's investment in weapons into an investment of peaceful goods.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What will happen to the guns that are collected?

All weapons collected will be destroyed and turned into art or melted down and made into useful building materials.

2) When and where will the guns be destroyed?

Whenever possible the guns will be destroyed infront of the person who just swapped the gun for food. Otherwise they will be transferred to a secure foundry where the guns will be melted down. Each weapon will be photographed as it is destroyed and the serial number copied.

3) How will you get the weapons?

We will obtain the weapons three different ways:

Directly with government agencies holding surplus weapons.

Through long term relationships with wholesale traders.

Directly with individuals at public gun turn-ins.

4) How will long term wholesale relationships work?

Long term wholesale relationships are meant to help build the economy. GITA will trade goods at wholesale with established merchants. The merchants will then be able sell the goods obtained at a value that will allow them to obtain another weapon for trade and enough profit to make a living. This has the advantage of establishing a viable wholesale business as well as eliminating the costs and risks of GITA trying to directly obtain weapons from many individuals.

5) How will you obtain the goods for trade?

The goods for trade will be obtained in a variety of ways, including direct donations of goods from manufacturers, governments (surplus commodities) or individuals. People can join Guns Into Art and the funds will be used to obtain goods through developing nation debt swaps. Members can sponsor a gun for destruction or they can purchase a piece of art work made from melted guns and the proceeds will go to obtain more goods to swap for weapons.

6) Why not just pay cash for the guns?

Cash corrupts. Large payments can disappear into Swiss bank accounts, while it is much more difficult to deposit a container load of sugar into an off shore account. Guns into Art feels swapping guns for food and tools will benefit the Afghani people more than simply purchasing the guns and destroying them.

The higher profile nature of the deals leads to greater transparency and this will help dispel any suspicions of shady intentions.

Inflation. Adding cash into the economy without increasing the supply of goods caused rampant inflation in Russia and Cambodia.

Dollar flight. Pumping dollars into the economy without the goods also leads to dollar flight, as those who can concentrate the dollar move them to stable Swiss bank accounts. This happened on Russia on a massive scale.

Adding goods into the Afghan economy will increase the value and stability of the Afghan currency.

Wholesale trading will reduce transaction costs and make the trading safer, since Guns into Art will deal directly over time with the same individuals from various tribal and clan groups. These individuals will also be more effective at getting the guns from their relatives and extended social group. The stigma of an outsider disarming the Afghans would also be mitigated.