Peace is a process (and so is disarmament)

 Peace is a process, not always a quick one.

This, from the NYT:

A Crackdown on a Deadly Wedding Custom
Marriages and other glad occasions in Syria are often celebrated by firing shots in the air. But after nearly 14 years of war, people want the guns to go silent.   By Raja Abdulrahim 

"For as long as people can remember, the crack of celebratory gunfire has filled the sky above the [wedding] festivities — even though falling bullets would occasionally wound or even kill people. 

"Shooting in the air was also an expression of joy at the birth of a child, a graduation, the homecoming of exiles. It commemorated sad occasions, too, such as funerals.

"The new government, formed by the rebels who ousted the Assad dictatorship in December, is trying to change the practice as part of efforts to bolster security and reduce the spread of weapons.

"The tradition, which may have its roots in how military victories were celebrated, is not unique to Syria. 

...

"Now, if a weapon is fired at a wedding, the authorities can seize it and levy a $100 fine. If the gun is not handed over, a relative of the groom — his father or an uncle, perhaps — can be detained until the firearm is turned in.

“We don’t take the groom,” Mr. Dandar said, offering up a concession.