U.S. Absent as 100 Countries Meet in Dublin to Finalize Global Cluster Bomb Ban
UNICEF, Member of Congress Urge U.S. Action on Cluster Bombs
For immediate release: May 19, 2008
Washington, DC….Representatives of more than 100 governments gathered in Dublin, Ireland today to begin writing the final text of a global treaty banning cluster bombs that cause unacceptable harm to civilians. The United States —historically the world’s largest producer, stockpiler, and user of these deadly weapons—won’t be at the negotiations
Over the past 40 years, the vast majority of confirmed casualties from cluster munitions have been civilians, and children are particularly at risk. Cluster bombs open in midair dispersing dozens to hundreds of small submunitions over a large area. Many of these “bomblets” fail to detonate and can harm civilians decades after a conflict has ended.
The draft treaty, which governments plan to finish on May 30, will ban the use, production and export of cluster munitions. The negotiations in Dublin are focused on the specifics of the treaty and in particular on defining which types of cluster bombs pose an unacceptable risk to civilians. The draft text sets a six-year timeframe for destruction of prohibited weapons. It also requires states to clear areas contaminated by cluster bombs and to assist victims and affected communities.
“Cluster munitions do not know when the war has ended,” said Mark Engman, director of public policy and advocacy at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “Children stumble over them long after the conflict has ended or pick them up thinking that they are toys.”
In the past 10 years, the United States has used cluster bombs in civilian-populated areas of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo. The U.S. government has not participated in the treaty negotiations and is lobbying its allies taking part in the negotiations to weaken the treaty.
“It is disappointing that the U.S. government does not support the goal of banning cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians,” said Lora Lumpe, coordinator of the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines. “And it’s outrageous that it is lobbying allied governments to water down the treaty. Such a move isolates the United States in the world community and risks undermining efforts to protect civilians.”
Last year Congress passed a one-year moratorium on exports of cluster munitions.
“Cluster munitions kill indiscriminately,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (MA). “While the U.S. government won’t be at the treaty negotiations, many legislators, including myself, support common-sense restrictions on these weapons. That is why I have introduced the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Christian relief group World Vision, among others, have joined in condemning the use of these indiscriminate weapons.
The negotiations run from 19-30 May. The official conference website is: www.clustermunitionsdublin.ie
For more on cluster bombs: http://www.banclusterbombs.org
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The U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines (USCBL) is a coalition of approximately 500 U.S.-based human rights, humanitarian, faith-based, children's, peace, disability, veterans', medical, development, academic, and environmental organizations dedicated to a total ban on antipersonnel landmines. It is one of 90 country campaigns that form the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). The Friends Committee on National Legislation, the oldest registered religious lobby in Washington, is the coordinating organization for the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines.
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