13 February 2009

CMC Newsletter January 2009

CMC Newsletter January 20091. International NewsJonas Gahr Støre and Steffen Kongstad Voted 2008 "Arms Control Persons of the Year"Norway's Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and his ministry's Director-General for Security Policy and the High North, Steffen Kongstad, were voted "2008 Arms Control Person of the Year" in an online poll conducted by the Arms Control Association. Støre had announced in 2006 that his country would convene an effort to create an international ban on cluster munitions, and in the following year Norway hosted the first international Oslo Process conference. Spearheaded by Norway and other supportive governments the Oslo Process led to the negotiation and formal adoption of an international treaty prohibiting cluster munitions, the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). The treaty was signed by 94 countries at the Signing Conference in Oslo in December 2008 and is now gathering signatures at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.http://www.armscontrol.org/2008personofyearCMC announced as Recipients of the Tipperary International Peace AwardOn 1 January 2009 the CMC was announced as the recipient of the 2008 Tipperary Peace Prize, an award handed out by the Tipperary Peace Convention, an Irish organisation based in Tipperary. The Peace Award will be presented to the CMC on 1 May during a 5-day Peace Festival that is organised by the Tipperary Peace Convention every year. 2009 is the 25th anniversary of the Tipperary Peace Award. Previous recipients include: Presidents Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev and Bill Clinton, the late Senator Gordon Wilson, Live-Aid organiser Bob Geldof, Norwegians Mona Juul & Terje Larsen, US Senator George Mitchell, John O'Shea of GOAL, Archbishop Robin Eames and former Prime Ministers, the late Rafic Hariri of Lebanon and the late Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan.Tipperary Peace Award Recipients Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and US Senator George Mitchell (Photos: Tipperary Peace Convention)http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/news/?id=1103http://www.tipperarypeace.ie/35 Countries have publicly committed to ratify the CCMThirty-five signatories of the Convention on Cluster Munitions have publicly committed to ratify the treaty as soon as possible. Many of them announced this in their statements at the signing conference in Oslo: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, Congo (Republic of), Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Germany, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Liberia, Lichtenstein, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Panama, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Zambia. Mexico has announced that it has put forward ratification legislation before parliament. Hungary and Zambia announced that they have started the ratification process. Germany, Honduras, Mali and Panama have all announced that they will be among the first 30 to ratify the CCM.Japan and Lao PDR agree to call on countries to sign the CCMThe Foreign Minister of Japan, Hirofumi Nakasone and the Foreign Minister of Lao PDR, Thongloun Sisoulith have met in Lao PDR after meeting each other in Oslo where they signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions on behalf of their governments. The Ministers agreed to call on countries that possess cluster bombs but still refuse to sign the Convention, such as the United States and China, to sign the treaty. Japan has also decided to support Lao PDR in clearing unexploded cluster munitions and will provide 770,000 dollars for clearance operations.********2. Media Highlights of the MonthSunday Tribune: ‘Campaigners awarded world peace prize'http://www.tribune.ie/breakingnews/article/2009/jan/01/campaigners-awarded-world-peace-prize/IRIN: ‘Lebanon: Funding struggle slowing cluster bomb clearance in south'http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=82768Corp Watch: ‘Norway finds Canada's largest publicly-traded company, Barrick Gold, unethical'http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=15286IHT: ‘HRW calls on Mideast states to ban cluster weapons'http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/26/news/ML-Mideast-Cluster-Bombs.php*****3. Campaign and Country UpdatesAlbania. The Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence have approved draft legislation on the CCM. The legislation is now awaiting signature by the Prime Minister before it will be sent to the parliament. The country is expected to complete the ratification process within the next couple of months.Jonuz Kola, Victims of Mines and Arms Kukes, kukesi@albmail.com Cambodia. Kosal Song and Nhar Ny, two landmine survivors from the Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines, have met the Nepalese Ambassador for the region and discussed the issue of cluster munitions with her. The Ambassador also signed the People's Treaty. Another campaigner in Cambodia who is also a barber has composed songs about mines and cluster bombs which he sings regularly while cutting people's hair.Denise Coghlan, Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines, jrscam@forum.org.kh Greece. Bishop Ioannis met the Prime Minister of Greece, Kostas Karamanlis, to discuss cluster bombs. The Prime Minister was not aware of Greece's position on the issue. He was interested in receiving further information and advised Bishop Ioannis to meet the Minister of National Defence, promising that he would also talk to him. The Bishop also met the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dora Bakoyannis, who knew the issue well and she said that for the time being it is difficult for Greece to do anything on the CCM because of tensions with Turkey.Iraq. On 19 January Moaffak Alkhafaji and a group of campaigners in Iraq met with Staffan De Mistura, the United Nations Special Representative in Iraq. They discussed cooperation to ensure the Iraqi government will sign and ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions as the Iraqi representative indicated during a statement in Oslo, where Iraq attended as a non-signing country. De Mistura agreed to cooperate on the issue after the Iraqi elections on 31 January. On 25 December 2008 Moaffak had met with the Iraqi Minister of the Interior, Jawad Alpolani, and asked him to sign the Convention and the Minister replied that Iraq will be able to sign soon. Moaffak Alkhafaji, moaffak61@yahoo.com Mali. Amadou Moussa Maiga from RJSDAO has been following up with parliamentarians on the ratification of the CCM. The President of the Commission of Foreign Affairs said that Mali will be among the first 10 countries that ratify the treaty.Amadou Moussa Maiga, RJSDAO, ammaiga@yahoo.frMexico. Héctor Guerra met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico City for an update on the CCM ratification process. The MFA informed him that the CCM is part of a package of international treaties that has been presented to the parliament. The MFA expects that Mexico will ratify the CCM during the current parliamentary session which is ongoing until April 2009.Héctor Guerra, ettoregv@yahoo.fr Norway. Based on recommendations from the Norwegian Council on Ethics, Norway's Ministry of Finance has excluded the American company Textron Inc. Corporation from the county's pension fund, and announced in January that it will also exclude mining giant Barrick Gold from the fund. Since the ethical guidelines for the pension fund came into force, the Ministry of Finance has excluded nine producers of cluster munitions from the fund.Spain. On 6 February the Council of Ministers has agreed to submit the Convention on Cluster Munitions to the Cortes (Parliament) and to request the Parliament to consider it as a matter of priority (to ensure fast tracked legislation on it).http://www.publico.es/agencias/efe/198151/gobierno/remite/cortes/convencion/prohibir/bombas/racimoTunisia. On 12 January Tunisia signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This is the first signature to the treaty at the UN headquarters, after 94 countries signed the Convention at the Oslo Signing Conference on 3-4 December 2008. The CMC welcomes Tunisia's signature which brings the total to 95 signatures and 4 ratifications. Tunisia is the second country in the MENA region to sign the Convention.http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/the-solution/the-treaty/?id=84United States. 67 humanitarian, faith, medical and veterans groups in the U.S. have sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to reconsider U.S. opposition to the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Signers of the letter include the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the head of Evangelicals for Social Action, the CEO of CARE, two former U.S. ambassadors, and one former senator.Read the letter and the press release here: http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/news/?id=1207Lora Lumpe, Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), lora@fcnl.org Proud Students Against Landmines and Cluster Bombs (PSALM) have met with representatives from Morgantown City Council after the Council signed a resolution to support a ban on cluster bombs and to promote awareness in the city of the issues of cluster bombs and landmines. The group plans further meetings and events for February and March.Nora Sheets, Proud Students Against Landmines and Cluster Bombs (PSALM), noracat@yahoo.com Campaigners in the United States have also organised campaign actions targeted at companies that produce or have produced cluster munitions. On 19 January a group in Bethesda, Maryland, held an annual demonstration in front of Lockheed Martin to protest the company's past production of the MLRS cluster munitions system. In Edina, Minnesota, a group of activists called AlliantACTION holds weekly vigils at Alliant TechSystems in protest of its past production of mines and cluster bombs and its current involvement in the production of depleted uranium weapons. A group in Washington, DC, organised a "War Profiteers Ball" to raise funds for Handicap International's work with landmine and cluster munitions survivors.UK. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Landmine Eradication held a meeting on 13 January. The group was briefed on the outcome of the Oslo Signing Conference and the meeting that UK civil society representatives had with the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband. The group will continue to engage with the UK Government on the drafting of the national legislation on cluster munitions to ensure that it is introduced into parliament as early as possible in the 2009/2010 legislative year. In addition they will also seek to assist the Government in its work to promote the CCM internationally through their engagement with parliamentarians around the world at various inter-parliamentary meetings.Portia Stratton, Landmine Action, pstratton@landmineaction.org *****4. Take ActionThe CMC's priority in 2009 is to ensure that 30 countries ratify the Convention to bring it into force quickly. We will also continue to campaign to ensure that non-signatories sign and ratify the Convention as soon as possible.1) If your government has signed the Convention, send a letter and urge it to ratify the Convention as soon as possible2) If your government has NOT signed the Convention, send a letter and urge it to sign and ratify the Convention as soon as possibleTemplate letters can be found on the Take Action section of the CMC website:http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/take-action/*****5. New Campaign Resources1) How to sign the Convention guide for governments2) Template letters to signatory and non-signatory governments3) ICRC Ratification Toolkitshttp://www.stopclustermunitions.org/take-action/campaign-resources/In addition, CMC staff are preparing new campaign materials for the signature and ratification campaign, including a guide on ‘How to ratify the Convention'. Old materials including fact sheets, PowerPoint presentations and leaflets will be updated as well. Please send ideas and requests for materials that would be useful for your campaigning to Laura (laura@stopclustermunitions.org).*****6. Key Dates and Events in 2009The priority of the CMC in 2009 is to undertake an intensive global ratification campaign to ensure that 30 countries ratify the Convention without delay in order to bring it into force and begin the formal process of implementation. The CMC will also continue to campaign in countries that have not yet signed the Convention to encourage them to sign the treaty as soon as possible at the UN in New York.The following outlook on 2009 lists some key dates that will provide opportunities for campaigners to take action to call on countries to ratify the CCM, and to ask all non-signatory states to sign the treaty. Norway and other key countries are currently considering how to best promote Entry into Force (EIF) of the Convention and bring the global CCM community together in 2009. It seems very likely that one or more global meetings of signatory states will be held this year.In 2009 a number of regional workshops will also be taking place in preparation of the 2nd Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty. These preparation meetings will be good opportunities for advocacy to promote both treaties.February 200916 - 20 February - Group of Governmental Experts on Cluster Munitions, Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), Geneva, SwitzerlandHaving failed to agree on a new instrument on cluster munitions in November 2008, the experts group will meet again to try to reach consensus. Another week of meetings is scheduled in for 14 - 17 April if needed. Deep divisions remain between CCM signatories and those outside the treaty on the way forward.23 February - Launch of the CMC Ratification and Universalisation Campaign22-23 February is the 2 year anniversary of the launch of the Oslo Process and on this occasion the CMC will launch the CMC Ratification and Universalisation Campaign. This will involve the dissemination of new campaign materials to campaigners as well as to governments, parliamentarians and the general public, and the launch of the new People's Treaty website. On 20 February a press conference will take place at the CCW where the CMC will outline key objectives and expectations for 2009 as well as comment on the conclusion of the CCW session.23 February - 1 March - ICBL Week of ActionThe 1 March is the 10 Year Anniversary of the Entry into Force of the Mine Ban Treaty. To mark this date the ICBL are holding a week of action between 23 February and 1 March to promote the Mine Ban Treaty. Many CMC campaigners will be using the opportunity to promote the Convention on Cluster Munitions as well and will be able to use the new CMC resources to prepare actions and events.24 - 26 February - Managua Regional Workshop in preparation of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, NicaraguaThe Managua Workshop is the first of a series of regional workshops to be held in 2009, in advance of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty (Cartagena, Colombia, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 2009). States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, international organizations, UN agencies, the ICRC and the ICBL will participate in the workshop, whose purpose is to take stock of the progress made and challenges that remain in the Americas in pursuing the aims of the Mine Ban Treaty. The event provides a good opportunity to lobby governments to sign and ratify the CCM, especially given prominent countries Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela have yet to sign the treaty. The CMC, in close cooperation with the ICBL, Norway, Switzerland, the ISU and others, is proposing to also hold a short 2-hour long briefing on the CCM on the margins of the workshop to promote signature and ratification of the treaty.March 200919 March (TBC) Diplomatic Event at the UN in New York to promote Signature and Ratification of the CCMTentative plans are underway for a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York in the first half of 2009. The meeting is aimed at New York based officials of key countries from the Oslo Process and of countries that have not yet signed or ratified the CCM, as well as civil society and international organisations. The purpose of the meeting is to promote signature and ratification of the CCM in New York, to set a new deadline for states to complete procedures for signature and ratification, to provide an opportunity for global media coverage on the cluster munitions ban and to maintain the political momentum. More information on this meeting will be available once it is confirmed.31 March - 3 April - Bangkok Regional Workshop in preparation of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, ThailandThe Bangkok Workshop is part of a series of regional workshops to be held in 2009, in advance of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty (Cartagena, Colombia, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 2009). States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, international organizations, UN agencies, the ICRC and the ICBL will participate in the workshop, whose purpose is to take stock of the progress made and challenges that remain in South-East Asia in pursuing the aims of the Mine Ban Treaty. The CMC, in close cooperation with the ICBL, Norway, Switzerland, the ISU and others, is proposing to hold a short 2-hour long briefing on the CCM on the margins of the workshop to promote signature and ratification of the treaty. South-East Asia is a key region for the CCM as it is the worst affected region in the world, and many states in the region have yet to sign the treaty such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. CMC will be looking for leadership from strong CCM states Lao PDR and Indonesia and the now strong support of Japan.April 200914 - 17 April - Group of Governmental Experts on Cluster Munitions, Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), Geneva, SwitzerlandA further experts meeting will be held at this time if required.May 20091 May - Presentation of the Tipperary International Peace Award to the Cluster Munition Coalition, IrelandOn 1 May the Cluster Munition Coalition will receive the Tipperary International Peace Award. - See International News29 May - Release of Human Rights Watch and Landmine Action Cluster Munition Policy and Practice Report 2009The report will look at national positions and policies on the eradication of cluster munitions. More than 100 countries will be included in the report including all members of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. The report will cover developments from November 2006 until the signing of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in December 2008. Each country entry will cover participation in the Oslo Process and the CCW, national policy developments and interpretations of the Convention, as well as information on cluster munition use, production, transfer, stockpiles and destruction.29 May - 4 June CMC Global Week of Action30 May is the 1 Year Anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Dublin and will fall during the next Global Week of Action to call on countries to ratify the treaty to bring it into force, and to ask non signatory states to sign without delay. On 29 May Human Rights Watch and Landmine Action will release the Ban Policy Report on Cluster Munitions which will provide an opportunity for media coverage and concerted national advocacy.June 2009TBC - CMC Campaign Planning and Training MeetingA campaign meeting of the whole CMC membership is being planned for 2009. The purpose of the meeting is to bring the campaign together to discuss common goals and action plans for the ratification and universalisation campaign as well as towards the First Meeting of States Parties. Skills sharing and training and capacity building workshops will take place during the meeting to equip campaigners with skills and knowledge that will be useful for the work on ratification and implementation. Workshop topics will include advocacy, lobbying, popular campaigning, fundraising, research and media work.July 20097 - 8 July - Dushanbe Regional Workshop in preparation of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, TajikistanThe Dushanbe Workshop is part of a series of regional workshops to be held in 2009, in advance of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty (Cartagena, Colombia, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 2009). States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, international organizations, UN agencies, the ICRC and the ICBL will participate in the workshop, whose purpose is to take stock of the progress made and challenges that remain in the region in pursuing the aims of the Mine Ban Treaty. The CMC, in close cooperation with the ICBL, Norway, Switzerland, the ISU and others, is proposing to hold a short 2-hour long briefing on the CCM on the margins of the workshop to promote signature and ratification of the treaty. This is an opportunity to urge Tajikistan to sign or ratify by the time of the conference, allowing the country to profile its support for the CCM as an affected country.August 200912 August - 1 Year Anniversary of the cluster bombs use in Georgia / 3 Year Anniversary of the cluster bombing of LebanonThe date provides an opportunity to organise national actions and events to remember the victims of cluster munitions and call on governments to sign, ratify and implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions.September 2009TBC - Africa Regional Workshop in preparation of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, South AfricaThe Africa Workshop is part of a series of regional workshops to be held in 2009, in advance of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty (Cartagena, Colombia, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 2009). States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, international organizations, UN agencies, the ICRC and the ICBL will participate in the workshop, whose purpose is to take stock of the progress made and challenges that remain in Africa in pursuing the aims of the Mine Ban Treaty. The CMC, in close cooperation with the ICBL, Norway, Switzerland, the ISU and others, is proposing to hold a short 2-hour long briefing on the CCM on the margins of the workshop to promote signature and ratification of the treaty. South Africa can use this opportunity to demonstrate new leadership on the CCM within the African region.October 20098 - 9 October - Tirana Regional Workshop in preparation of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, AlbaniaThe Tirana Workshop is part of a series of regional workshops to be held in 2009, in advance of the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty (Cartagena, Colombia, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 2009). States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, international organizations, UN agencies, the ICRC and the ICBL will participate in the workshop, whose purpose is to take stock of the progress made and challenges that remain in the region in pursuing the aims of the Mine Ban Treaty. The CMC, in close cooperation with the ICBL, Norway, Switzerland, the ISU and others, is proposing to hold a short 2-hour long briefing on the CCM on the margins of the workshop to promote signature and ratification of the treaty. As an affected country Albania can use this opportunity to promote signature and ratification in the Balkan region.November 200930 November - Mine Ban Treaty Second Review Conference, Cartagena, Colombia4 December States, civil society and all other stakeholders in the mine ban community will gather in Cartagena, Colombia, from 30 November - 4 December 2009 to assess challenges in the universalisation and full implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty, and to take stock of progress made since the First Review Conference in Nairobi, Kenya in 2004.December 20093-4 December - One Year Anniversary of the Signing of the Convention on Cluster Munitions*****Cluster Munition Coalition | 2nd Floor, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE17TP, UKinfo@stopclustermunitions.org | www.stopclustermunitions.org