Dozens of gun owners in the New Zealand city of Christchurch handed in their firearms on Saturday in exchange for cash after the government began implementing a weapons buyback scheme.

Police said they paid more than NZ$200,000 ($134,000, €118,000) to 68 gun owners in the first couple of hours of the Saturday event in the city, located on the east coast of the South Island.

Police Minister Stuart Nash said that one of the objectives of the scheme, which went into effect last month, is to "remove the most dangerous weapons from circulation."

New Zealand lawmakers passed a gun reform law in April. The government hopes the gun buyback scheme will rid society of the rapid-fire type used in the white supremacist attack on two Christchurch mosques in March that killed 51 Muslim worshippers.

Read more: Christchurch survivors angry after shooting suspect pleads not guilty

The government has planned 250 events around New Zealand as part of its gun buyback campaign. Nash said NZ$208 million ($137 million, €121 million) had been set aside to compensate owners of military-style semi-automatic (MSSA) weapons.

The buyback scheme has met with widespread approval in New Zealand

'Positive feedback'

Mike Johnson, the regional police commander, said 903 gun owners in the Canterbury area had registered 1,415 weapons to be handed in.

"Police recognize that this is a big change for the law-abiding firearms community. We are hearing really positive feedback from people as they come through today that they are finding the process works well for them," Johnson told media.

Ray Berard, who moved to New Zealand from Canada 25 years ago, told reporters that there was no place for military-style weapons in modern society.

"My wife is working as one of the project directors on the hospital rebuild. We were there on the day of the shooting and watched the 35-odd hearses leave the next day," Berard said after handing in an assault rifle. He said that a person can "do a lot of damage to a lot of people … if you are mentally unwell and you have a weapon that can shoot 100 rounds a minute."

Gun owners have until December 20 to hand in the now-prohibited weapons, receiving up to 95% of the wholesale price if new or near-new, 70% if used and 25% for MSSAs in poor condition.

Beyond December 20, possession will be punishable by up to five years in jail.

Read more: New Zealand police charge Christchurch mosque attacker with terrorism

New Zealand holds memorial for mosque attack victims Call for global action At Friday's memorial in a Christchurch park, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called on her country to "be the nation that discovers the cure" to the irrational hate and fear thought to be behind the March 15 mosque attacks. But she freely admitted that New Zealand itself was not immune to such "viruses." She has won praise from around the world for the way she has dealt with the tragedy.

New Zealand holds memorial for mosque attack victims A nation mourns Thousands gathered for the memorial service at North Hagley Park. New Zealand has seen many outpourings of grief and condemnation after the attack, and its leaders have taken immediate action to tighten the country's previously lax gun laws. Military-style semi-automatic and automatic firearms like those used in the March 15 attack are to be banned from April 11.

New Zealand holds memorial for mosque attack victims Singing for peace and harmony Among those performing at the Christchurch ceremony was Yusuf Islam, also known as Cat Stevens. Islam, himself a Muslim convert, performed his song "Peace Train." "Our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were snatched away in that evil carnage while they were worshipping at the mosque two weeks ago," he said before his performance.

New Zealand holds memorial for mosque attack victims National grief The shootings by the suspected Australian gunman also left many people injured. Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel called the atrocity "an attack on us all." But, she said, in the end a deed aimed at dividing people had "united us" instead. Services were also held in several other New Zealand cities.

New Zealand holds memorial for mosque attack victims Speaking of forgiveness The service in Christchurch was also attended by numerous dignitaries, including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Among those who spoke was Farid Ahmed, the husband of Husna Ahmed, one of those who died in the attack in the Al Noor mosque. He told the crowd he had forgiven the shooter because of his beliefs. "I don't want to have a heart that is boiling like a volcano," Ahmed said. Author: Timothy Jones



Firearms ownership high

Police have estimated that 14,300 military-style semi-automatic guns exist in New Zealand, where in total at least 1.2 million firearms are kept.

Given its population of near 5 million, that means New Zealand has the 17th highest rate of civilian firearm ownership in the world, according to the Small Arms Survey.

The April law change also banned parts that convert firearms into MSSAs.

Opposition National Party leader Simon Bridges backed the buyback law but said the government had not put enough money aside to compensate MSSA owners.

Nicole McKee, spokesperson for the Council for Licensed Firearms Owners (COLFO), said that some owners of higher-end firearms felt the scheme had been "grossly miscalculated," adding: "A lot of them are telling us they are being ripped off."

Read more: Facebook to tighten livestream access after Christchurch attacks

Watch video 02:05 Share Wrestling with gun violence Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2y9ae Gun violence in US and still no better laws

shs/tj (AP, AFP)

Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.