Cluster bombs

Senators Feinstein and Leahy and Representative McGovern Introduce Joint Resolution Calling on the United States to Sign International Treaty Banning Cluster Bombs

June 3, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Representative James P. McGovern (D-Mass.) today introduced a joint resolution calling on the United States to sign on to a new treaty to ban the vast majority of cluster munitions.

The resolution specifically calls on the United States to “embrace efforts to protect innocent civilians from cluster munitions and sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions when it becomes open for signature in December 2008.”    » read more »

Dublin, May 30, 2008 – The new cluster munitions treaty adopted in Dublin on May 30, 2008, will save thousands of lives for decades to come, with key treaty provisions stronger than even some of its staunchest supporters had expected, Human Rights Watch said today.

The treaty immediately bans all types of cluster munitions, rejecting initial attempts by some nations to negotiate exceptions for their own arsenals, as well as calls for a transition that would delay the ban for a decade or more.

In addition to the prohibitions on use, production, stockpiling, and trade, the treaty also includes very strong provisions requiring states to provide assistance to victims and to clean up areas affected by cluster munitions.    » read more »

30 May 2008 -- Delegates from 111 countries have formally adopted a comprehensive ban on cluster bombs.

The treaty comes at the close of a 12-day meeting Friday in Dublin and bans the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster bombs. It requires signatories to destroy their stocks within eight years and to assist in clearing contaminated areas.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the development and urged all countries to sign the pact without delay.

The United States - one of the world's largest cluster bomb makers - opposes a ban. It boycotted the Dublin conference, along with Israel, Russia, China, India and Pakistan.    » read more »

28 May 2008 -- Diplomats from more than 100 countries meeting in Ireland have agreed on a draft treaty outlawing cluster bombs, which have killed or wounded thousands of civilians.

The draft approved Wednesday would give signatory nations eight years to destroy their cluster bomb stockpiles.

M20 Rockeye cluster bomb

Earlier, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said his government will stop using cluster bombs. But the United States, one of the world's largest builders of the bombs, opposes a ban.

The U.S., Israel, Russia, China, India and Pakistan are not present at the Dublin meeting.    » read more »

Cluster Munitions Survivors Forum, World Conference On Cluster Munitions

Dublin, Ireland -- May 26, 2008 -- "I am grateful to be here with Lord Dubs, Ken Rutherford and Steve Goose. This is the third time Lord Dubs and I have had the pleasure of meeting, Steve played a critical role in the negotiations on the Ottawa treaty banning antipersonnel landmines, and Ken Rutherford is one of my heroes.

Ken testified in the United States Senate 15 years ago about losing his leg from a landmine in Somalia, in some of the most moving testimony I have heard.

The Ottawa treaty established a new international norm for landmines, just as the Oslo treaty will for cluster munitions later this week.    » read more »

21 May 2008 -- The U.S. State Department said Wednesday a pending international treaty banning cluster munitions could have unintended consequences for international military cooperation in such areas as disaster relief. The United States and several other major military powers are not taking part in the 100-nation treaty talks in Dublin.

B-1B Lancer releashes cluster munitions: Air Force photo

State Department officials say they share international concern about civilian casualties caused by cluster bomb munitions lingering in former battle zones.    » read more »

18 May 2008 -- Pope Benedict XVI has urged diplomats at an international conference in Dublin to sign a treaty banning cluster bombs, which have killed or wounded thousands of civilians.

Benedict said Sunday it is "necessary to correct the errors of the past." He also prayed for the victims of the bombs and their families.

Cluster bombs are fired from the ground or dropped from planes. They explode in mid-air and scatter hundreds of smaller bombs over a wide area. The unexploded small bombs can stay hidden for months before blowing up.

The United Nations says the bombs have killed or wounded many children who step on them or pick them up mistaking them for toys.    » read more »