Author(s):
Site Admin <webmaster2SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org> .
Monday 19 May 2008
Some states seek to keep stocks and to weaken treaty, but survivors are hopeful
(Dublin, Ireland, May 19th, 2008) Civil society representatives and cluster bomb survivors from around the world today called on governments to support a comprehensive ban on cluster bombs, without exceptions. The call came as more than 100 governments began two weeks of final negotiations in Dublin, Ireland, on a new international treaty to ban cluster bombs. Certain states seek to weaken the treaty. Civil society representatives and survivors expect this to be the most significant humanitarian and disarmament treaty since the ban on antipersonnel landmines over a decade ago.
Campaigner and cluster munitions survivor present the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs with over 700,000 signatures collected worldwide in support for a ban on cluster munitions. Photo: M. Wareham.
“We are confident that governments will make the right decision and adopt a ban with no exceptions, no loopholes and no delays. This is what is needed to do justice to the victims of this weapon and to stop the maiming and killing of generations to come” said Thomas Nash, coordinator of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC).
Cluster munitions are weapons that open in mid-air and randomly scatter dozens or hundreds of individual submunitions (or “bomblets”) over a large area. Countries are agreeing to ban them because they kill and injure too many civilians both during attacks—because of their indiscriminate wide-area effect—and long after attacks—because so many fail to explode on impact but remain dangerous, functioning like antipersonnel mines.
The draft treaty prohibits the use, production, and trade of cluster munitions, and establishes a deadline for the destruction of all existing stocks of the weapon. But it also goes far beyond the ban by requiring the clearance of contaminated areas—with a deadline—as well as specific legal obligations for states to ensure survivors and their communities are supported and cared for.
Branislav Kapetanovic, a former deminer and cluster bomb survivor from Serbia, who lost both his arms and legs said: “These deadly weapons destroy lives and communities for years after use. The treaty obliges states to provide badly needed humanitarian assistance so that survivors like me can live with dignity.”
The treaty process was launched in Oslo, Norway in February 2007 when 46 nations agreed to conclude a treaty prohibiting cluster munitions “that cause unacceptable harm to civilians” in 2008. The treaty text was developed during international meetings in Peru, Austria, and New Zealand, with more than 140 countries taking part in at least part of the process.
“Governments have been talking about the dangers of cluster bombs for years. More delays mean more injuries and death for ordinary people. We have a unique opportunity to ban cluster bombs in Dublin - it is now or never,” said Grethe Østern, Norwegian People's Aid and co-chair of the Cluster Munition Coalition.
There will likely be three main areas of contention during the negotiations. First, some states—most notably Denmark, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom—are seeking blanket exceptions from the ban for certain cluster munitions in their own arsenals, claiming they are still needed militarily and that they will not cause as much harm as other cluster munitions.
Second, some are seeking a “transition period” of some seven to fifteen years during which they would still be able to use banned cluster munitions, claiming that they cannot give up the weapons—which they acknowledge cause unacceptable harm to civilians—until they have developed military alternatives. The strongest calls for a transition period are likely to come from France,Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Third, some are seeking to delete or weaken a provision in the treaty that prohibits States Parties from assisting with the use of cluster munitions by others during joint military operations. Those most vocal on the “interoperability” issue include Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The United States has been pressuring many of its allies on this matter.
The negotiating countries include most of the world’s users, producers and stockpilers of cluster munitions. Among the notable no-shows are the United States, China, Russia, India, Pakistan, andIsrael, all of which are major producers and stockpilers of cluster munitions. Of these, US, Russiaand Israel have used cluster munitions.
“It is regrettable that the US and a handful of other states insist on their need to use a weapon that the rest of world is banning because it causes unacceptable harm to civilians,” said Steve Goose, director of the Arms Division at Human Rights Watch and co-chair of the Cluster Munition Coalition. “But we believe a strong new treaty will stigmatise cluster munitions to such a degree that it will be difficult for any country to use them and suffer the loud chorus of international condemnation.”
Banning an entire class of weapon will have an effect well beyond the signatories of the treaty. The stigmatisation of this weapon will extend to all countries stockpiling and using them. Despite the fact that the US, Russia and China did not sign the treaty banning antipersonnel landmines in 1997, there has since been little production, trade or use of the weapon anywhere in the world by governments.
The negotiations are scheduled to conclude on Friday, May 30, when the participating states will adopt the final text of the treaty; no further changes can be made after that point. The treaty will then be opened for signature to all countries—even those not present during the negotiations—in Oslo,Norway on December 2-3, 2008. After signing the treaty, countries still need to ratify it, usually through legislative approval, before it becomes fully legally binding.
For more information and interviews and to get copies of the video news release and photo materials, please contact in Dublin:
Natalie Curtis: +44 (0) 7515 575174, natalieSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERstopclustermunitions.org
Samantha Bolton: +353 (0) 86 662 9343, samanthaboltonSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERgmail.com clustermunitioncoalitionSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERgmail.com
The Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions
Questions and Answers
What is the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions?
Over 100 countries will negotiate the cluster munition treaty in Dublin, Ireland from 19-30 May 2008. At the negotiations, they will agree to the final language of the treaty. The negotiations will be based on a draft treaty that sets out a comprehensive ban but certain countries are likely to seek exceptions or delays to allow continued use of their own cluster bombs. There will be tough negotiations on this and other issues inDublin – see below. The cluster munition treaty will represent the most significant advance in the field of humanitarian and disarmament affairs since the achievement of the 1997 treaty prohibiting antipersonnel mines.
Information at:http://www.stopclusterbombs.ie/andhttp://www.clustermunitionsdublin.ie/
What are cluster bombs?
Cluster munitions are large weapons which are deployed from the air and from the ground and release dozens or hundreds of smaller submunitions. Submunitions released by air-dropped cluster bombs are most often called "bomblets,” while those delivered from the ground by artillery or rockets are usually referred to as "grenades."
What's the problem with this weapon?
Air-dropped or ground-launched, they cause two major humanitarian problems and risks to civilians. First, their widespread dispersal means they cannot distinguish between military targets and civilians so the humanitarian impact can be extreme, especially when the weapon is used in or near populated areas.
Many submunitions fail to detonate on impact and become de facto antipersonnel mines killing and maiming people long after the conflict has ended. These duds are more lethal than antipersonnel mines; incidents involving submunition duds are much more likely to cause death than injury.
Who has used cluster munitions?
At least 14 countries have used cluster munitions: Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Israel,Morocco, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Russia (USSR), Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan,UK, US, and FR Yugoslavia. A small number of non-state armed groups have used the weapon (such as Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006). Billions of submunitions are stockpiled by some 76 countries. A total of 34 states are known to have produced over 210 different types cluster munitions. More than two dozen countries have been affected by the use of cluster munitions including Afghanistan, Albania, Angola,Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Chad, Croatia, DR Congo, Eritrea,Ethiopia, Grenada, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia,Serbia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Uganda, and Vietnam, as well asChechnya, Falkland/Malvinas, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Western Sahara.
Why is a ban on cluster munitions necessary?
Simply put, cluster munitions kill and injure too many civilians. The weapon caused more civilian casualties in Iraq in 2003 and Kosovo in 1999 than any other weapon system.
Cluster munitions stand out as the weapon that poses the gravest dangers to civilians since antipersonnel mines, which were banned in 1997. Yet there is currently no provision in international law to specifically address problems caused by cluster munitions. Israel's massive use of the weapon in Lebanon in August 2006 resulted in more than 200 civilian casualties in the year following the ceasefire and served as the catalyst that has propelled governments to attempt to secure a legally-binding international instrument tackling cluster munitions in 2008.
What are the most controversial issues for the Dublin negotiations?
There will be tough negotiations on a number of controversial issues in Dublin, most importantly on the issues surrounding joint military operations with states outside the treaty that may use cluster bombs; the definition of a cluster bomb and calls for exceptions from the ban; and calls for a transition period where states could continue to use the weapons for years after they have been banned. A number of mainly European producer or stockpiler states have taken positions on these issues that would significantly weaken the treaty. But there is also widespread support amongst a broad range of countries to keep the treaty strong. The negotiation of these controversial issues will determine the strength and effectiveness of the treaty.
For more information see the CMC position papers at: http://www.stopclusterbombs.ie/
What is the Oslo Process?
In February 2007, 46 governments met in Oslo to endorse a call by Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to conclude a new legally binding instrument in 2008 that prohibits the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians and provides adequate resources to assist survivors and clear contaminated areas.
Subsequent International Oslo Process meetings were held in Peru (May 2007), Austria(December 2007), and New Zealand (February 2008). Over 100 countries have committed to participate in the final negotiations in Ireland in May. Seehttp://clusterprocess.org/ for more information.
What is the Cluster Munition Coalition?
The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) is a global network of over 250 civil society organisations working in 70 countries to end the harm caused by cluster bombs. Founding members include Human Rights Watch, Handicap International and other leaders from the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines which secured the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Launched in November 2003, the CMC is campaigning for the diplomatic Oslo Process to result in a strong international treaty prohibiting cluster munitions.
For more information go to: http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/
Who is the Cluster Munition Coalition Ireland?
The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) Ireland is a coalition of Irish non-governmental organisations working to achieve a new international treaty to ban cluster munitions. The treaty will ban the use, sale and stockpiling of cluster munitions, and establish a framework to assist cluster munition survivors and their communities, as well as to clear contaminated land. Coalition members include Amnesty International Irish Section, Oxfam Ireland, Trócaire, Concern Worldwide, Pax Christi Ireland and UNICEF Ireland.
CMC Ireland works to:
· increase awareness among the Irish public of the terrible harm caused by cluster munitions and what is being done about it,
· publicise the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions that is being held in May 2008, where more than a hundred states will negotiate and adopt the treaty,
· ensure the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions results in a meaningful and robust treaty that protects vulnerable civilians in times of conflict
· ensure that the Irish government stands firm as chair of the conference to deliver this result.
For further information check out: http://www.stopclusterbombs.ie
