Rwandan president's bodyguards not allowed to carry guns in Australia

[tyme]

http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10584593%5E1702,00.html

RWANDAN President Paul Kagame's bodyguards have had their guns confiscated by police and customs officials at a north Queensland airport.

A spokesman for federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said today the bodyguards ignored advice before their arrival at Townsville yesterday that under Australia's security arrangements for foreign dignitaries they would not be allowed to carry guns.

"This is generally a no-no and they were aware of that when they arrived," the spokesman said.

"They were asked, and this is a fairly routine question for security people, if they were carrying firearms, and they said 'yes'."

The guns were handed over for safekeeping in Townsville and would be returned when the president and his bodyguards left Australia next week, the spokesman said.

"We take responsibility for the protection of visiting dignitaries ... and as a general rule, bodyguards don't carry firearms when they are with a visiting dignitary."

...
President Kagame is a former guerilla fighter with Rwanda's National Resistance Army.
...

Australia says it takes responsiblity for foreign leaders' protection, but doesn't mention anything about armed australian bodyguards.

 

[LAR-15]

Makes sense.

I don't want foreign nationals packing in my country.

 

[316SS]

"... we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal ..."

Not all US citizens. All men. I find it interesting that we demand this right for ourselves but are so quick to justify its infringement for others. The 2A doesn't grant us this right, it exists on its own. It is infringed anywhere people are prevented from arming themselves for the defense of them and theirs.

316

 

[Stand_Watie]

I don't want foreign nationals packing in my country.

I'll bet Howard's bodyguards pack when he visits here (not to mention Rwanda).

 

[WT]

I bet an Australian SAS team is involved with the guy's security.

 

[George S.]

So when the POTUS visits Australia, the Secret Service would be forced to hand over their weapons and they would agree? Somehow, I don't think those rules apply to ALL visiting heads of state.

A soverign nation can have their rules regarding weapons brought into thehir country, but I have to believe that "exceptions" are made depending on what visiting dignitary is involved. Notice that the article stated: "This is generally a no-no and they were aware of that when they arrived," the spokesman said.

 

[Car Knocker]

LAR-15,

It is legal for for foreign nationals with certain types of visas to purchase and carry firearms in the U.S. I believe some of them are members of THR.

 

[jnojr]

"... we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal ..."

Not all US citizens. All men. I find it interesting that we demand this right for ourselves but are so quick to justify its infringement for others. The 2A doesn't grant us this right, it exists on its own. It is infringed anywhere people are prevented from arming themselves for the defense of them and theirs.

We have enough to worry about with our own 2A issues. If I went to Rwanda, they wouldn't fall all over themselves making sure it was OK for me to carry a firearm. And I have the feeling that this "president" is "President-for-LIfe" and his bodyguards are probably some of the same guys who committed genocidal massacres just a few years ago.

I really couldn't care less about them being disarmed in a known gun-hating country. I'm not surprised, and I won't waste the time or effort lamenting it.

 

[316SS]

jnojr wrote:

I really couldn't care less about them being disarmed in a known gun-hating country. I'm not surprised, and I won't waste the time or effort lamenting it.

"Whatsoever therefore is consequent to a time of war, where every man is enemy to every man, the same consequent to the time wherein men live without other security than what their own strength and their own invention shall furnish them withal."

-Thomas Hobbes

 

[fallingblock]

Welcome to the club, Paul!

If there's a government anywhere that ostentatiously fears guns more than little Johnny Howard's hoplophobic hatful, you'd have to search hard for it.


************************************************************
"I really couldn't care less about them being disarmed in a known gun-hating country. I'm not surprised, and I won't waste the time or effort lamenting it."
************************************************************

That's my take on it as well.

At least they didn't lock the Rwandans up.

Had they been peaceful Australian citizens carrying firearms......

 

[Bruce in West Oz]

Maybe they should just have done what everyone else does — come in empty-handed with the guns already waiting in a diplomatic pouch.

And no, even George Bush's bodyguards are NOT allowed to be armed in Australia.

Doesn't mean they aren't, of course. They're just not allowed.

Sometimes, my government gives me the tom tits, the galloping trots, ummm … the ?????s … diarrhoea!!!! (Or, as you would have it , diarrhea )

Bruce

 

[jsalcedo]

If it is big enough of a problem let RWANDAN President Paul Kagame stay home.

I don't go places where I'm not allowed to carry

 

[HankB]

Many years ago, when Yassir Arafat visited New York City, he was packing.

Nobody did anything, even when it was pointed out during his visit. Diplomatic immunity, you know.

Sometimes foreigners have more rights than natural-born citizens.

 

[PBIR]

I'm inclined to agree with the Aussies on this one. They can provide better security anyway as it is their home turf and they have some crack troopers. Too bad their gun laws for their citizens suck though hehe.

 

[FRIENDLY]

armed carry

If needed the Australian Government will call on the SAS or other alphabet people for diplomatic protection and they are the very last people you want to mess with or will mess with. Ordinary citizens on the other hand are on our own God help us.

 

[LAR-15]

I hear that when certain heads of state visted once for some Commonwealth meeting or supin

that some cops only had 1 bullet.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Since none of us are RWANDAN, and only a few here are Australian, why don't we all just keep our mouths shut about how another soveriegn nation chooses to handle visiting dignitaries?

We don't want the UN or any other country telling us what to do, yet a lot of Americans are more than happy to hand out unsolicited advice on the affairs of other countries.

 

[Sergeant Bob]

fallingblock, Bruce in West Oz, Friendly

I don't believe visiting dignitaries should be given any more rights than the citizens of your country or, more than they would give their own citizens in their own country.

Since none of us are RWANDAN, and only a few here are Australian, why don't we all just keep our mouths shut about how another soveriegn nation chooses to handle visiting dignitaries?

Just having a discussion with our good Australian (came this . close to moving there when I was a kid) Brothers in Arms. After all, this is a discussion board, is it not? Eh, mate?