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States must act now to end the cluster bomb threat and assist victims

2010-09-06

1MSP logo
Lao PDR will host the First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions from 9-12 November, 2010.

Nations meet in Geneva to plan implementation of ban treaty

(Geneva, 6 September 2010) – States should act urgently to meet their obligations under a new international treaty banning cluster bombs, the Cluster Munition Coalition said today, as nations gathered in Geneva to plan the Convention’s upcoming First Meeting of States Parties.

“Governments created a powerful treaty outlawing cluster bombs, now they must deliver the goods,” said Thomas Nash, CMC Coordinator. “If we carry on the strong cooperation between states, civil society, and international organisations that led to the ban, we can make a real difference in preventing civilian suffering.”

The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which entered into force as binding international law on 1 August 2010, bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions and requires the destruction of stockpiles, the clearance of affected land and the provision of assistance to victims and affected communities. To date, 108 countries have signed the treaty and 39 have already ratified.

Ireland chaired the Geneva meeting, where participants previewed the substantive outcome documents for the First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which will be held from 9-12 November in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Vientiane meeting will be the first time States Parties, signatory and observer states, international organisations and civil society and cluster bomb victims under the banner of the CMC come together to lay the foundations for putting the Convention’s provisions to work.

States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions are expected to agree on four main outcomes in Vientiane, including:

  • a Vientiane Declaration, an ambitious political statement reaffirming States Parties’ commitment to comprehensively banning cluster munitions;
  • a Vientiane Action Plan for the next one-to-five years, with clear objectives, priorities and specific outputs as well as benchmarks on how the treaty should be implemented and how progress can be measured;
  • a concrete programme of work for 2011; and
  • reporting formats for countries to provide annual updates of their progress on implementing treaty obligations .

As the most heavily cluster-bombed country in the world, Lao PDR is a highly appropriate venue for the First Meeting of States Parties, as participants will be able to appreciate first-hand the immense scale of the bombing and the devastating and ongoing humanitarian impact of cluster munitions.

The CMC urges all states to ratify or accede to the Convention and to attend the First Meeting of States Parties in Vientiane, regardless of whether or not they have joined the treaty.

More information and related documents:

Preparatory meeting - Geneva, Swizerland (6 September 2010)

Official website for the First Meeting of States Parties - Vientiane, Lao PDR (9-12 November 2010)

CMC website for the First Meeting of States Parties

Read more…

CMC August Newsletter

2010-09-03

Japan drummers
Drummers in Japan join global actions to mark the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

CMC August Newsletter

1.    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Campaigners celebrate entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Campaigners in 83 countries and territories organised actions to celebrate the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), the highest level of participation ever for a CMC global day of action.  The CMC launched an entry into force website, www.august1.org, which includes reports and photos of the campaign actions.

Around the world, political actors and civil society members engaged in a wide range of activities in order to promote and discuss the Convention as it came into force. Many of these activities strengthened the platform for the universalisation of the CCM.  Several governments released press statements welcoming its entry into force. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Pope Benedict XVI both issued public statements declaring their support for the CCM.

Entry into force also received a large amount of media coverage around the world, as
campaigners took advantage of the date to raise the profile of the Convention. The CMC issued a media advisory ahead of entry into force, and held press conferences in Geneva and Bangkok. The CMC also prepared a video news release that was posted on a broadcast news wire and circulated to major international networks. CMC staff and members did dozens of interviews, and there were hundreds of stories in many languages and across all types of media – print, broadcast and online.

2.    CAMPAIGN AND COUNTRY UPDATES

Global: An extensive report on entry into force activities will be coming out in early October and will include information on actions in over 80 countries.  In the meantime, information and photos on entry into force actions can be found at www.august1.org.  Contact: Kimberly Brown, CMC staff, Kimberly@stopclustermunitions.org

India:  Campaigners from the Control Arms Foundation of India distributed over 10,000 pamphlets on cluster munitions throughout India.  These pamphlets, printed in English and Hindi, called on the government of India to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions.  Contact:  Bina Nepram, CAFI: binalakshmi@gmail.com

Lao PDR:  Mike Boddington received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for founding the organisation COPE (Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise), which has helped victims of unexploded ordnance in Lao PDR since 1997. He was presented the award at a reception co-hosted by the CMC and the British Embassy in Vientiane on 9 August.  About 80 guests attended, including ambassadors from the United States, Australia, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines, as well as representatives from France, Indonesia, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  Representatives from all four Lao-based CMC member organisations also attended the event.  The British ambassador made his remarks and presented the medal to Mike.  Both the ambassador and Mike stressed the significance of the CCM, and extensively thanked the CMC for its contributions to making the treaty possible.  Contact: Alexandra Hiniker, CMC staff in Vientiane: Alexandra@stopclustermunitions.org

Lao PDR: Religions for Peace, in cooperation with Norwegian Church Aid and Lao Buddhist Monks for Development, organized a workshop from 2-3 August at Wat Nakhoun Noi, Vientiane Capital. The aim was to raise awareness about the Convention within Lao’s religious communities and explore the roles that monks can play in assisting survivors with their recovery and social reintegration. It was attended by over 60 monks from across the country as well as five survivors, and enjoyed strong support from the Lao government. Religions for Peace and its partners will now seek to initiate a two year program in which monks in Lao will be more actively engaged in assisting survivors.  Contact: Allison Pytlak, Religions for Peace: apytlak@religionsforpeace.org

Nepal: Campaigners in Nepal launched a new website, www.nepal.icbl.org.  Contact: Purna Chitrakar, NCBL: ncbl@mail.com.np

3.    DISINVESTMENT

Germany: The German government faced pressure for purchasing two airport scanners from L3 Communications, one of the seven producers named in the report “Worldwide investments in cluster munitions: a shared responsibility” by IKV Pax Christi and Netwerk Vlaanderen. As Germany has both signed and ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Actiongroup Landmine.de campaigner Thomas Küchenmeister called on the government in Berlin to renounce these deals immediately.  Contact: Thomas Küchenmeister, Actiongroup Landmine.de: thomas.kuechenmeister@googlemail.com

Disinvestment media highlights:

Spiegel Online International, 11 August 2010
Germany Slammed for ‘Supporting’ Cluster Bomb Manufacturer
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,711269,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 11 August 2010
Germany under fire for doing business with cluster bomb producer
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5891121,00.html

Asahi Shimbun, 17 August 2010
Editorial: Ban on Cluster Bombs
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201008160251.html

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4.    TAKE ACTION
Urge your government to or ratify or accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions

The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) is calling on signatories to ratify the Convention and on non-signatories to accede to the Convention.  Since the Convention has now entered into force, non-signatories must accede rather than sign and ratify in separate steps.
Push for high-level participation by your government at both the Preparatory Meeting and the First Meeting of States Parties
There will be a Preparatory Meeting for the First Meeting of States Parties (1MSP) on 6 September in Geneva. All states have been invited to this meeting through an invitation note verbale that was sent to Geneva missions on 5 May 2010. The First Meeting of States Parties will be held from 9-12 November in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Please encourage your government to attend both of these meetings.  For the preparatory meeting you should work through the representative at the mission in Geneva.

Contact: Laura Cheeseman, CMC staff: laura@stopclustermunitions.org
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5.    MEDIA

Media update

The entry into force of the CCM received a large amount of media coverage around the world, as campaigners took advantage of the date to raise the profile of the Convention. In late July, the CMC held press conferences in Geneva and Bangkok to brief the media and issue an official press release. The CMC also prepared a video news release that was posted on a broadcast news subscription service and circulated to major international networks, many of which used the footage, including Al Jazeera English, BBC, France 24, Danish national television and Japan’s national broadcaster, NHK. CMC staff and members did dozens of interviews, and there were hundreds of stories in many languages and across print, broadcast and online media outlets. Some of the stories covered specific angles such as the upcoming First Meeting of States Parties in Laos or disinvestment – especially in Japan, where three major banks used the 1 August milestone to announce their decision to disinvest from cluster bomb producers.

Following this extensive media coverage in early August, several US and international news stories on Yemen mentioned cluster munitions following the release of a new Amnesty International report citing two possible instances of US cluster munition use during counterterrorism operations. Elsewhere, there were media reports on several incidents where unexploded cluster bomblets were discovered in Lebanon, coverage in Germany of a controversial government investment in a cluster munitions producer (see above section 3 above), and a couple of stories on the legacy of cluster munition use in Lao PDR, helping to set the scene for the upcoming 1MSP in Vientiane.

Contact: Conor Fortune, CMC staff: conor@stopclustermunitions.org

Media highlights of the month

The Guardian (United Kingdom), 30 August 2010
The casualties of cluster bombs must not be forgotten
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/30/casualties-cluster-bombs-laos

Daily Star (Lebanon), 27 August 2010
Bulldozer driver unharmed after cluster bomb blast in south
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=118688#axzz0xoZWaGXw

Salon (United States), 25 August 2010
An exciting new Muslim country to drone attack
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/08/25/yemen

iLoubnan.info (Lebanon), 25 August 2010
Cluster munitions found in Kfartebneet
http://iloubnan.info/en/actualite/id/49817/titre/Cluster-munitions-found-in-Kfartebneet

The Washington Post (United States), 24 August 2010
CIA sees increased threat from al-Qaeda in Yemen
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/24/AR2010082406553.html

The Guardian (United Kingdom), 23 August 2010
Shabwa: Blood feuds and hospitality in al-Qaida’s Yemen outpost
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/23/shabwa-al-qaida-yemen

Women’s eNews, 22 August 2010
Old bombs shatter Laotian women’s lives
http://www.womensenews.org/story/war/100820/old-bombs-shatter-laotian-womens-lives

UN News Centre, 18 August 2010
Lebanon: UN official welcomes move to ratify ban on cluster munitions
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35660&Cr=WEAPON&Cr1=

Truthdig (United States), 17 August 2010
There’s nothing surgical about cluster munitions
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/theres_nothing_surgical_about_cluster_bombs_20100817/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Truthdig+Truthdig%3A+Drilling+Beneath+the+Headlines&utm_content=Twitter

The New York Times (United States), 15 August 2010
Secret Assault on Terrorism Widens on Two Continents
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/world/15shadowwar.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&ref=the_shadow_war

UPI, 16 August 2010
Russia passes on munitions pact
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2010/08/16/Russia-passes-on-munitions-pact/UPI-43911281993152/

CNN/VBS.tv, 11 August 2010
Removing cluster bombs from soil
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/08/10/vbs.cluster.bombs/index.html?eref=rss_latest&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_latest+%28RSS%3A+Most+Recent%29&utm_content=Twitter#fbid=7LU9GNzMhXP&wom=false

The Japan Times, 11 August 2010
EDITORIAL: Good start for cluster bomb ban
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ed20100811a2.html

IRIN (UN news agency), 5 August 2010
LAOS: Cluster bomb focus raises hopes for development
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=90072

The Economist (United Kingdom), 2 August 2010
Cluster duck: An international convention banning cluster bombs comes into force
http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=7933596&story_id=16731443

The Christian Science Monitor (United States), 1 August 2010
As cluster bomb ban takes effect, the view from Laos
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-Issues/2010/0801/As-cluster-bomb-ban-takes-effect-the-view-from-Laos

Reuters, 1 August 2010
Cluster munitions treaty – a milestone, but a long way to go
http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2010/08/01/cluster-munitions-treaty-a-milestone-but-a-long-way-to-go/

France 24, 1 August 2010
Hopes high as cluster bomb ban comes into force
http://www.france24.com/en/20100731-august-convention-cluster-munitions-ban-treaty-usa-france-interview-bouveret

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6.    UPCOMING EVENTS

September 2010

6 September    Preparatory Meeting for the First Meeting of States Parties to CCM Geneva, Switzerland

November 2010

1    Cluster Munition Monitor launch, Bangkok, Thailand
9-12 November     First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Vientiane, Lao PDR
25-26 November    CCW Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, Switzerland
29 Nov –3 Dec    Tenth Meeting of the States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, Geneva, Switzerland

December 2010

3 December    Second anniversary of the Convention on Cluster Munitions Signing Conference
3 December    International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Read more…

CMC intervention at the CCW Group of Governmental Experts

2010-09-01

 Broken Chair sculpture in Geneva
The Broken Chair sculpture stands outside the UN Palais des Nations in Geneva as a symbol against landmines and cluster munitions. Photo credit: Handicap International

(Geneva, 1 September 2010) - Following the introduction of a draft protocol on cluster munitions to the Convention on Conventional Weapons’ Group of Governmental Experts on 31 August, the Cluster Munition Coalition intervened to  express concerns about the draft’s significant failures to provide an urgent response to the issue of cluster munitions, be compatible with the Convention on Cluster Munitions, or contain meaningful provisions.

Below is the full text of the intervention by CMC Coordinator Thomas Nash.

Dots

Remarks by Thomas Nash on behalf of the Cluster Munition Coalition
CCW Group of Governmental Experts on Cluster Munitions
Geneva, Wednesday 1 September 2010

Thank you Mr Chairperson and thank you for your openness and cooperation with non-governmental organisations.

We believe that with the entry into force of Convention on Cluster Munitions exactly one month ago today, means we are in a new situation with regard to deliberations at the CCW on cluster munitions. We’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all states that have signed and ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions. This entry into force is remarkably swift and reflects what the UN Secretary General has described as the “world’s collective revulsion” at this weapon. The UN Secretary General has convened the First Meeting of States Parties to be held in Lao PDR and preparations are going well for that.

We need to face the reality that two thirds of CCW states have signed or ratified CCM. These states have a legal obligation to promote the norms established by the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It will be very difficult for a protocol that directly conflicts with the standard of Convention on Cluster Munitions to emerge from such a group of states.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions is emerging as the clear global standard on cluster munitions and we are confident the stigmatisation of the weapon will continue to deepen. However, we share the concern that others, including the ICRC have raised with regard to the negative development of IHL. This is a very serious concern. The CCW was not established in order to weaken existing IHL – quite the contrary.

Many have noted that this exercise is positive the main users and producers are here. However there are other ways to maintain a dialogue between all countries that have used, produced and stockpiled cluster munitions and those who are affected, whether they have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions or not. Indeed a number of positive engagements are happening on a bilateral, regional and multilateral basis between States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and states outside the CCM and these should continue.

In line with your guidance, we will not provide detailed remarks at this stage, but we can give an initial reaction. In orienting themselves to discussions in this framework, many delegations have expressed fundamental concerns that any new protocol should provide an urgent response, should be compatible with the Convention on Cluster Munitions and should have meaningful provisions. We believe this new text fails on all three concerns.

Regarding urgency: the text allows for an eight year transition period plus a possible four year extension, plus the time it takes for countries to consent to be bound by the Protocol. This is not an immediate or even urgent response.

Regarding compatibility: the Convention on Cluster Munitions is an immediate and comprehensive prohibition. This text allows for unrestricted and indefinite use, production and transfer of a range of cluster munitions. The draft does not address the issue of the area effect of cluster munitions during attacks, which CCM states took as a key reason to prohibit the weapons. So it is clearly not compatible.

Regarding meaningful provisions: We know that this text is not going to provide a framework to put an end to the suffering caused by cluster munitions and to eradicate them completely. It is also difficult to assess the level to which these provisions might be meaningful because we don’t know what they mean in practice for the differing states and their national stockpiles. In some ways it appears almost like the provisions are deliberately vague and open to interpretation in order to allow countries to maintain use, production and transfer based on their own existing and potential needs for such actions. This is not a basis for an international agreement.

We understand the points raised by delegations this morning about not ‘wasting’ the deliberations that have gone on here over the past few years and it is positive that all states are here discussing the need to respond to the humanitarian problem of cluster munitions. While a new protocol may not emerge, we could still find ways to secure the measures that certain states have indicated they can pursue, such as prohibiting the transfer of certain cluster munitions immediately or committing to end use and to destroy cluster munitions by a certain date. All such measures can represent positive forward steps from countries on a national basis, but not as a basis for new agreements that contradict existing IHL. On this basis we see no justification for continued work in this format.

So while there is no humanitarian benefit in adopting a protocol based on this text, there will be a political cost of agreeing a new lower standard. Externally, this will inevitably be portrayed as a backwards step that is providing a blueprint for future use, production and transfer of a weapon that most UN member states have agreed to ban outright.

Thank you Mr. Chairperson.

Read more…

CMC Newsletter July 2010

2010-08-09

CMC Newsletter July 2010

1.    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Comoros ratifies and Djibouti signs cluster bomb ban treaty

Two African states took action on the Convention on Cluster Munitions in the days before 1 August 2010, when the Convention entered into force and became binding international law. Comoros ratified the Convention on 28 July at the United Nations, becoming the 38th country fully on board the treaty, and Djibouti signed the Convention on 30 July.

Comoros

Forty-one African states are among the 108 countries that have signed the Convention, and Comoros is the 10th African country to ratify. Comoros signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions when it first opened for signature in Oslo, Norway in December 2003. Neither Comoros nor Djibouti has used, produced or stockpiled cluster munitions. Although neither country is affected by the weapons, Djibouti has residual problems with explosive remnants of war and has suffered from contamination by landmines.

For the full story please see: http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/news/?id=2563

CMC launches August 1 website for entry into force of cluster bomb ban treaty

On 15 July, CMC staff launched a new website, www.august1.org, to communicate about worldwide events to celebrate the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 1 August 2010.

In addition to background information on the treaty and an informational video on the Oslo Process, the site lists details on CMC events in around 80 countries to celebrate treaty taking effect as binding international law. Following the treaty’s entry into force, photographs from worldwide campaign events to “beat the drum to ban cluster bombs” will be posted to the site.

Final four countries targeted as 100-day countdown wraps up

Sudan, Slovakia, Morocco and Thailand were the four final countries targeted in the 100-day countdown to entry into force.  Campaigners around the world reached out to these countries by sending letters urging them to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions in advance of the First Meeting of States Parties.

On 30 July, during Thailand’s week of action, a CMC press conference on entry into force was held in Bangkok, with participation from the Lao government, a Lao cluster munition survivor, UN and ICRC.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-organized with the International Committee of the Red Cross a Roundtable Discussion on the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Bangkok on 29-30 July 2010. Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Defense and other Thai government agencies, Australia, Germany, Japan, Laos, the UN, the Cluster Munition Coalition, the Thai Campaign, and the GICHD.

Between 26 April and 1 August, campaigners used the 100 days to target 14 key non-signatory states.  Many campaigners sent letters urging these countries to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions, while some visited embassies in their countries.

The 100-day countdown concluded on 1 August, when the Convention on Cluster Munitions entered into force.  Campaigners in around 80 countries held actions to mark the Convention’s entry into force and “beat the drum to ban cluster bombs,” including drumming sessions, film screenings, panel discussions, football games, and photographic exhibitions. Details of these actions can be found at http://www.august1.org/events.

2.    CAMPAIGN AND COUNTRY UPDATES

Burundi:  On 9 July, campaigners held an event with the Ministry of Interior and the Belgian embassy.  Speakers included the chief of staff to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Burundi.  The ambassador congratulated Burundi for signing and ratifying the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Contact:  Georges Ntidendereza, Association de Prise en Charge des Orphelins de Guerre (APECOG): ntidendegeorges@yahoo.fr

Burundi

Iraq:  A number of events took place in Baghdad during the month of July. IADO hosted Safias Alsuhail, an Iraqi member of parliament at a meeting where they discussed the situation of persons with disabilities in Iraq. Alsuhail committed to being a part of the national advocacy plan to promote international treaties such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Mine Ban Treaty in Iraq.  UNICEF organised a workshop on mine risk education.  Mohamed Alrubaee, a member of Baghdad Council, visited with IADO and discussed the needs of persons with disabilities in Iraq.  IADO is continuing to work with Abdulla, a child who was injured by a car bomb in 2008.  He participated in an activity wherechildren with disabilities were given wheelchairs and he told IADO that he hopes to walk again and wants to become a lawyer to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities.
Contact: Muowffak Alkhafaji, Iraqi Alliance for Disability, moaffak62@yahoo.com

Iraq

Lao PDR: On Wednesday, 7 July, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) organised a launch event to raise the profile of the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the First Meeting of States Parties (1MSP) in Laos. About 100 people, including ambassadors and other members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the UN and many NGOs, Ban Advocate Phongsavath Manithong, Lao university students, and Lao press attended the event. Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hiem Pommachanh presided over the panel of three speakers: MOFA’s Saleumxay Kommasith; UN Resident Coordinator Sonam Yangchen Rana; and the CMC’s Alexandra Hiniker. After the panelists spoke, the floor was opened up to questions.  The ambassadors from France, the European Union (EU), and Germany, as well as representatives from Australia and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), all had questions for the Lao MOFA about procedural matters related to the 1MSP, which were answered comprehensively.  They specifically asked about the four outcome documents, procedures for formal invitations and level of representation expected, field visits, and what the content of the Vientiane Action Plan would be.
Contact: Alexandra Hiniker, CMC staff in Vientiane, Alexandra@stopclustermunitions.org

Moldova:  On Thursday, 29 July, Col. Andrei Sarban of the Moldovan Ministry of Defence oversaw the destruction of Moldova’s remaining stockpile of Soviet-era cluster munitions at Bulboaca military training ground. Roman Dolgov (IPPNW - Russia) and Jane Filseth Andersen (Norwegian People’s Aid) attended the event, which also included representatives of the Ministry of Defence, foreign embassies and the media. According to the Moldovan Ministry of Defence, the project was completed with the support from NPA as well as the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the governments of Spain and Norway.
Contact: Conor Fortune, CMC staff, conor@stopclustermunitions.org

Nepal: Purna Chitrakar gave an interview on the radio station Mero FM in Kathmandu.  She spoke about cluster munitions, the need for the national and international campaigns to ban the weapons, and the government response..
Contact: Ms. Purna Shova Chitrakar, Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal: ncbl@mail.com.np

Norway: On 16 July, Roger Ingebrigtsen, the State Secretary for the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, pushed the button to destroy Norway’s last batch of cluster munitions. The stockpile destruction took place on an old mine at Lokken Verk, south of the city of Trondheim.
For the full story visit: http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/fd/press-centre/Press-releases/2010/norwegian-stockpiles-of-cluster-munition.html?id=611443

European Resolution to urge states to sign and ratify the CCM:  CMC-Austria collaborated with the foreign affairs spokesperson of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Ulrike Lunacek, to introduce a new European Parliament (EP) resolution on the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Tabled by Members of European Parliament (MEPs) from five of the seven political groups in the EP, the resolution passed on 8 July, calling on European Union member states to sign and ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions before 1 August. MEPs also called on High Representative Catherine Ashton to urge EU countries to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). “The CCM anchors advanced and far reaching rules supporting help to victims of cluster munitions. Our resolution in the European Parliament to strengthen and widen the treaty is thus primarily in the interest of the safety of civil society: no humans should be victims anymore to these insidious weapons and past victims must receive the support they need as soon as possible,” they said. Judith Majlath, director of CMC-Austria welcomed this strong resolution.
For more information and to read the full text of the resolution, visit: http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/news/?id=2505
Contact: Judith Majlath, CMC Austria: judith.majlath@aon.at

Stay Informed: Sign up for Monitor Email Notifications
Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor launched the new Country Profile section of the Monitor website in June 2010, which features dedicated webpages for every country in the world with information about landmines and cluster munitions. Many Country Profiles are already available online, and new profiles continue to be uploaded daily.

In order to stay informed about the latest updates to the Country Profile webpages, visit the Landmine and Cluster Munition website at www.the-monitor.org and sign up to receive email notifications whenever Country Profiles are updated. The email notifications are country specific, allowing you to sign up to only receive updates on the countries that you are interested in.  To sign up to receive these notifications, visit the Country Profiles section of the Monitor website (www.the-monitor.org/cp), and click on the name of the country/area of interest to you. At the top left hand side of the page you will find option to “Receive notifications when this Country Profile is updated.” Once you have clicked this option, you will be prompted to provide your email address to subscribe to receive a notification email when the Country Profile is updated. This page also provides the option to cancel the email notifications at any time. Please sign up today to receive email notifications on updates to the country’s where you campaign, live, and work.
If you have any questions about the Country Profiles, or the email notification process, please contact monitor@icbl.org

3.    DISINVESTMENT

Australia:  Campaigners have continued their targeting of ANZ, which invests in cluster munitions.  ANZ responded to a postcard campaign by sending a standard letter to each person who sent in a postcard.  Campaigners wrote an article in response to this letter which highlights the problems with ANZ’s policy.
Contact: Mark Zirnsak, Uniting Church in Australia, Mark.Zirnsak@victas.uca.org.au

France: On 6 July, Handicap International and Amnesty International France issued a press release welcoming the prohibition of direct and indirect financing on cluster munitions in France.  As both the organisations have campaigned for several years on this issue, they were pleased with the French government’s announcement.  Following their campaign since 2006, many major financial groups in France had already decided to implement a disinvestment policy.
Contact:  Marion Libertucci, Handicap International France, mlibertucci@handicap-international.org and Aymeric Elluin, Amnesty International France, aelluin@amnesty.fr

Disinvestment media highlights:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703636404575352683206578298.html

http://www.librered.net/wordpress/?p=2142

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/japan-banks-ban-financing-cluster-arms-20100730-10zkw.html

(in German) See the 29-07 broadcast, from 10:51 onwards about German investments in cluster munitions : http://www.wdr.de/tv/monitor/

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4.    TAKE ACTION

Urge your government to or ratify or accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions

The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) is calling on signatories to ratify the Convention and on non-signatories to accede to the Convention.  Since the Convention has now entered into force, non-signatories must accede rather than sign and ratify in separate steps.

Push for high-level participation by your government at both the Preparatory Meeting and the First Meeting of States Parties

There will be a Preparatory Meeting for the First Meeting of States Parties (1MSP) on 6 September in Geneva. All states have been invited to this meeting through an invitation note verbale that was sent to Geneva missions on 5 May 2010. The First Meeting of States Parties will be held from 9-12 November in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Please encourage your government to attend both of these meetings.  For the preparatory meeting you should work through the representative at the mission in Geneva.

Contact: Laura Cheeseman, CMC staff: laura@stopclustermunitions.org
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5.    MEDIA

Media update

During the month of July, CMC media outreach involved wrapping up the 100-day countdown and gearing up for the entry into force celebrations and actions around 1 August 2010. The CMC launched a detailed website (www.august1.org) to inform the media and the general public about global celebrations to mark the Convention’s entry into force. To announce the Convention’s entry into force, CMC staff distributed media advisories, a press release in three languages and a video news release, as well as organising press conferences in Geneva and Bangkok. Hundreds of print and online stories have been published* on the Convention’s entry into force, and CMC staff and members did dozens of interviews with global and national broadcast media.

Earlier in July, national media in Lebanon reported on a new 9-year-old cluster bomb victim, while in Laos, local and international media have been focusing stories on the shocking scale of cluster bomb contamination that continues to cause up to 300 casualties per year.

*A complete report on the very successful global media coverage for entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions will be sent to the campaign list next week.

Contact: Conor Fortune, CMC staff: conor@stopclustermunitions.org

Media highlights of the month

BBC (United Kingdom), 31 July 2010
Cluster bomb ban comes into force
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-10829976

Associated Press (USA/global wire), 30 July 2010
UN chief hails treaty banning cluster bombs
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100730/world/un_un_cluster_munitions

AFP (France/global wire), 30 July 2010
Red Cross hails cluster munitions ban
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/red-cross-hails-cluster-munitions-ban-20100730-10y89.html

GlobalPost (USA), 28 July 2010
One man’s bomb is another’s garden hoe
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/asia/100727/laos-uxo-scrap-metal

Daily Star (Lebanon), 26 July 2010
Israeli cluster bomb kills 9-year-old
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=117448

Pravda (Russia), 21 July 2010
Cluster bombs
http://english.pravda.ru/society/stories/21-07-2010/114323-cluster_bombs-0

IPS (global wire), 19 July 2010
UN’s big five facilitate arms transfers to rights violators
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=52204

Terra Brasil, 18 July 2010
Exportadores de armas devem reforçar controle, diz Anistia
http://noticias.terra.com.br/mundo/noticias/0,,OI4572932-EI294,00-Exportadores+de+armas+devem+reforcar+controle+dos+transportes+diz+Anistia.html

The Oregonian (United States), 16 July 2010
Drums for Travis and against cluster bombs/mines
http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregonatwar/2010/07/drums_for_travis_and_against_c.html

Defence Professionals, 16 July 2010
Norwegian stockpiles of cluster munitions are history
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/16796/

DPA (Germany/global wire), 15 July 2010
Unexploded US bombs killed or injured 50,000 in Laos, survey finds
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/334937,50000-laos-survey-finds.html

Daily Star (Lebanon), 14 July 2010
British delegation tours mine-riddled southern areas
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=117008#axzz0vjVSq0Rb

The Citizen (Tanzania), 13 July 2010
Convention on Cluster Munitions Vital
http://thecitizen.co.tz/editorial-analysis/20-analysis-opinions/2983-convention-on-cluster-munitions-vital.html

Vientiane Times/Lao Voices (Lao PDR), 10 July 2010
Laos unable to clear UXO within ten years: official
http://laovoices.com/2010/07/10/laos-unable-to-clear-uxo-within-ten-years-official/

Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates), 6 July 2010
Welcome to smart bombs
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/opinion/2010/July/opinion_July38.xml&section=opinion&col=

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6.    UPCOMING EVENTS

August 2010

1 August     Entry into Force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

30 Aug-3 Sept    CCW second session of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on cluster munitions, Geneva, Switzerland

September 2010

6 September    Preparatory Meeting for the First Meeting of States Parties to CCM Geneva, Switzerland

November 2010

1    Cluster Munition Monitor launch, Bangkok, Thailand

9-12 November     First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Vientiane, Lao PDR

25-26 November    CCW Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, Switzerland

29 Nov –3 Dec    Tenth Meeting of the States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty

December 2010

3 December    2-year anniversary of the Convention on Cluster Munitions Signing Conference

3 December    International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Read more…

Comoros ratifies and Djibouti signs cluster bomb ban treaty

2010-08-04

Comoros signs CCM in Oslo in December 2008
Comoros signs the Convention on Cluster Munitions at the Oslo signing ceremony in December 2008. Credit: Gunnar Mjaugedal/catchlight.no

Convention became binding international law on 1 August 2010

(London, 4 August 2010) – Two African states took action on the Convention on Cluster Munitions in the days before 1 August 2010, when the Convention entered into force and became binding international law. Comoros ratified the Convention on 28 July at the United Nations, becoming the 38th country fully on board the treaty, and Djibouti signed the Convention on 30 July. 

“With Djibouti on board, we’re one step closer to seeing an Africa-wide prohibition on cluster bombs,” said Marion Libertucci, advocacy officer at Handicap International and CMC co-chair. “We welcome the ratification by Comoros and call on all African countries that have signed to ratify without delay and begin to implement the treaty.”

Forty-one African states are among the 108 countries that have signed the Convention, and Comoros is the 10th African country to ratify. Comoros signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions when it first opened for signature in Oslo, Norway in December 2003. Neither Comoros nor Djibouti has used, produced or stockpiled cluster munitions. Although neither country is affected by the weapons, Djibouti has residual problems with explosive remnants of war and has suffered from contamination by landmines.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions comprehensively bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions, sets strict deadlines for clearance of contaminated land and destruction of stockpiles of the weapon, and includes groundbreaking provisions for victim assistance.

The CMC urges as many states as possible to join the Convention and attend the First Meeting of States Parties on 9-12 November 2010 in Lao PDR – the world’s most heavily affected country. Now that the Convention has entered into force, states that have not already signed must accede to the treaty – a single step that is equivalent to signing and ratifying.

Read more…