New Zealand has opened a gun buyback scheme aimed at ridding the country of semi-automatic weapons. Under the scheme, licensed fire-arm owners will get fair compensation for weapons handed in during the six-month buyback and amnesty. For the amnesty expires possession of the prohibited firearms is punishable by up to five years in jail. Semi-automatic weapons are similar to those used in Christchurch mosque attacks that killed 51 Muslim worshippers back in March. The assault was the worst in New Zealand's modern history.