Soraj Ghulam Habib and other cluster munition survivors talk to the Chilean foreign minister © Mary Wareham
Date: 7-9 June 2010
Hosts: Government of Chile, Government of Norway and the United Nations Development Programme
Location: Santiago, Chile
Official Website: http://www.minrel.gov.cl/prontus_minrel/site/artic/20090811/pags/20090811092921.php
The Government of Chile, in collaboration with the Government of Norway and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted a conference on the Convention on Cluster Munitions to foster ratification and signature by a maximum number of countries to the Convention; to move forward with the preparation process of the First Meeting of States Parties; to promote the commitment of the States to the objectives and principles of the Convention and to focus on matters related to cooperation and assistance. Additional information, including a conference agenda, is available on the official website.
CMC DOCUMENTS FROM THE UNIVERSAL MEETING
Summary report
Daily updates
- CMC update - Chile Universal Meeting 7 June 2010
- CMC update - Chile Universal Meeting 8 June 2010
- CMC update - Chile Universal Meeting 9 June 2010
Statements and interventions
More than 120 representatives of civil society attended the Santiago conference under the umbrella of the Cluster Munition Coalition. CMC delegates gave strong statements and interventions on all areas of discussion within the conference agenda, including:
- Opening remarks (Thomas Nash, CMC coordinator)
- Opening remarks (Soraj Ghulam Habib, Ban Advocate, CMC)
- Statement on civil society objectives for the First Meeting of States Parties (Alexandra Hiniker, Lao PDR project manager, CMC and Bounmy Vichack, Ban Advocate)
- Intervention on victim assistance (Firoz Ali Alizada, International Campaign to Ban Landmines)
- Introduction to Ban Advocates film, “From Victims to Champions” (Bruno Leclercq, Handicap International)
- Introduction to Ban Advocates film, “From Victims to Champions” (Lynn Bradach, Ban Advocate)
- Statement on universalisation and entry into force of the CCM (Laura Cheeseman, CMC campaign manager)
- Intervention on universalisation (Branislav Kapetanovic, CMC spokesperson)
- Intervention on the Vientiane Action Plan (Sister Denise Coghlan, Cambodian Campaign and Jesuit Refugee Services)
- Intervention on national implementation measures (Bonnie Docherty, Human Rights Watch)
- Statement on the 2011 Work Programme and treaty architecture (Tamar Gabelnick, International Campaign to Ban Landmines)
- Intervention on the roadmap to the First Meeting of States Parties on substantive aspects: Main Outcome Documents and Action Plan (Steve Goose, Human Rights Watch)
- Intervention on stockpile destruction and retention (Steve Goose, Human Rights Watch)
- Statement on monitoring and compliance (Jacqueline Hansen, Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor)
- Statement on cooperation and assistance (Khaled Yamout, Norwegian People’s Aid)
- Closing remarks (Thomas Nash, CMC coordinator)
Media materials
- Media advisory for Chile Universal Meeting (3 June 2010)
- Solution to cluster bomb problem is possible with ambitious plan (7 June 2010 press release)
There was a high level of media interest in the Santiago conference on cluster munitions, partially driven by external events but facilitated by two press conferences which the CMC convened and led. All the major wires/news agencies covered the conference, some (such as EFE) sending reporters to both the opening and closing press conferences and doing more than one story on the event. As you will see, the vast majority of the stories are in Spanish, with a couple of wires (Associated Press, IRIN) translating into English for wider distribution. The wire stories have appeared in newspapers all over the world. CNN Chile came to the opening of the conference, and Chilean newspapers also sent reporters to do in-depth standalone stories that included interviews with CMC members and survivors. These include the English-language online daily The Santiago Times and the Spanish-language online daily El Ciudadano. The national editor of Chile’s newspaper of record El Mercurio came to the Sheraton to cover the story, interviewing Thomas, Elir and Soraj, and her photographer took photos of several survivors, including Alex (Chile), Aynalem (Ethiopia), Bounmy (Lao PDR), Branislav (Serbia) and Soraj (Afghanistan).