” “The Portuguese Catholic Church supports the disarmament process that was kick-started in Portugal. The citizens are invited to willingly hand over their weapons, as prescribed by the national campaign, after the enforcement of the new law on the use and possession of firearms. The National Justice and Peace Commission of the Portuguese Church promoted a public meeting on the subject in Lisbon yesterday, with a final statement in which it expresses its support to the government’s initiative, provided the State will "give certain guarantees that the legal or illegal arms that will have been willingly handed over will be withdrawn from the sales networks", with proofs at hand that they will have been effectively destroyed. "Such initiatives stated mgr. José Alves, bishop of Portalegre-Castelo Branco and president of the National Justice and Peace Commission, to the Portuguese Catholic Agency Ecclesia are responses to a real necessity, because we are living in a society which shows signs of different forms of violence". The Church, specified mgr. Alves, "is concerned about peace, social harmony, good neighbourly terms and mutual understanding between people". The Commission hopes the disarmament campaign a similar initiative had taken place in Brazil last year "will go hand in hand with civil society’s awareness raising". The State, on its part, "will have to work hard to create a climate of confidence that will promote such disarmament", concludes the document. Approximately 1,000 people die every day across the world killed by the so-called "light" firearms.” “
