Directive No. 281/TTg Regarding the Rectification and Strengthening of Management of Firearms, Explosives, and Rough Weapons.

DIRECTIVE

REGARDING THE ENFORCEMENT AND STRENGTHENING OF MANAGEMENT OF WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS, MANAGEMENT OF PRIMITIVE WEAPONS

Implementation of Decree No. 175-CP dated December 11, 1964 and Decree No. 33-CP dated February 24, 1973 of the Council of Ministers on the management of weapons and explosive materials, People's Committees at provincial and municipal levels as well as relevant central departments have made significant efforts in organizing implementation and achieved some results. Many enemy weapons and explosive materials left over from war or belonging to our side that were scattered have been collected and managed. However, currently, the management of weapons and explosive materials, as well as the management of primitive weapons in armed forces, semi-armed forces, agencies, enterprises... still has many loopholes and shortcomings, with cases of weapons and explosive materials being lost, burned, exploded, and improperly used causing accidents occurring in many places and in some serious cases resulting in deaths and injuries, causing significant losses to state property as well as the lives and property of citizens. In some areas, counter-revolutionary elements have used weapons for armed activities, semi-armed activities; hoodlums and ruffians have used weapons to disrupt public order and security.

The situation above has many causes, but mainly due to the lax management of weapons and explosive materials, agencies and units equipped and distributed weapons and explosive materials, primitive weapons by the state have not strictly adhered to state regulations; individuals and units violating these regulations have not been dealt with severely and promptly.

To end the aforementioned situation, contributing to maintaining political security, social order and safety, protecting socialist property, ensuring the lives and property of citizens, relevant central departments and People's Committees at provincial and municipal levels, including special administrative regions directly under the Central Government need to urgently organize the implementation of the following matters.

1. The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Interior, based on regulations regarding the management of weapons and explosive materials, the management of primitive weapons, shall plan to carry out specific tasks:

a. Continuously remind all officers and soldiers in units and agencies of the military and police to strictly implement regulations on the management of weapons and explosive materials, the management of primitive weapons, educate everyone to strictly comply and resolutely combat violations, and incorporate weapon management into the regular activities of military and police units.

b. Strictly manage the weapons equipped, preventing loss, damage, fire, explosion, and improper use; conduct a comprehensive inspection of the equipping, storage, and use of weapons and explosive materials throughout the force from grassroots units upwards, including weapons and explosive materials, primitive weapons equipped for civilian defense forces, specialized security departments, customs, forestry people's guards, and other agencies and units. The agency that distributes weapons is responsible for inspecting their use and storage.

c. Plan inspections and re-establish all weapon and explosive material warehouses of armed forces, agencies, enterprises, construction sites to correct and strengthen management; warehouses must have strict rules, be supervised by personnel to ensure absolute safety without loss, explosion, or fire; handle according to the law all cases of theft, loss, damage, explosion, or fire involving weapons and explosive materials. Strictly prohibit the use of weapons and explosive materials for hunting, fishing, as gifts, for barter, or as substitutes for fireworks during holidays and festivals.

d. Strengthen supervision of the transportation and use of weapons and explosive materials on streets, major traffic routes, public places, and areas requiring protection... When violations are discovered, they must be handled firmly and in accordance with the law. Officers and soldiers traveling individually carrying weapons, or units transporting weapons and explosive materials must have complete permits and must present these permits along with personal identification documents when requested by police or military forces performing supervisory duties.

e. For cases of lost weapons and explosive materials, timely investigations must be organized.

2. Relevant central departments, People's Committees at provincial and municipal levels, including special administrative regions directly under the Central Government, shall plan to disseminate regulations on the management of weapons and explosive materials to everyone within their jurisdiction to ensure strict compliance, while educating cadres, workers, employees, and the public to actively participate in collecting scattered weapons and reporting cases of storing, hiding, using, buying, selling, producing weapons, explosive materials, and primitive weapons illegally to local police or military authorities for recovery. Actively combat and prevent actions violating state regulations on the management of weapons and explosive materials.

3. The Ministry of National Defense is responsible for guiding military agencies and units, and the Ministry of Interior is responsible for guiding central ministries, departments, and People's Committees at provincial and municipal levels, including special administrative regions directly under the Central Government, in organizing the implementation of this Directive.

3. The Ministry of National Defense shall be responsible for guiding military agencies and military units, and the Ministry of Public Security shall be responsible for guiding ministries, sectors at the central level and People's Committees of provinces, cities, centrally governed municipalities under the central government in organizing the implementation of this Directive.