Canada becomes one of the first countries to join the cluster bomb ban by signing the Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2008. This new law, if adopted, will undermine their pledge to stop the harm this weapon causes.

London, 10 May 2012): A Canadian bill under Senate review would allow Canadian forces to assist others with the use of cluster munitions banned by international law.  In certain circumstances, Canadian forces could even use the weapons themselves. The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) today harshly criticized the proposed legislation and urged Canada to re-draft it.

“Canada cannot claim to have banned cluster bombs when it proposes to allow its military to help others use the weapons, and even leaves open the possibility of Canadian forces using them,” said Laura Cheeseman, Director of the CMC.

“These weapons are outlawed because of their indiscriminate effects and devastating consequences for civilians. Canada appears to be buckling under the pressure of the United States, which has not yet joined the ban treaty, at the cost of people’s lives,” Cheeseman added.

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Sweden signs the Convention at the CCM signing conference in Oslo, Norway 2008. Photo credit: Gunnar Mjaugedal/catchlight.no

Sweden ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) on 23 April 2012 becoming the 71st State Party to the treaty.

Sweden has never used cluster bombs, but has produced and stockpiled them. However, Swedish representatives said at both the Second Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Beirut in September 2011, and at the CCM intersessional meetings in Geneva last week, that stockpile destruction is well under way and should be finished by the end of 2014.

“It is thanks to a long-standing commitment of civil society around the world that the treaty banning cluster munitions became a reality in 2008. I am happy that Sweden now finally is also a State Party to the CCM and is joining the other 70 states that have already banned this terrible weapon,” said Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) member Anna Ek, from the Swedish Network Against Cluster Bombs.

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Members of ground-breaking ban treaty have already eliminated half their stocks of weapon, global meeting reveals

Geneva, 19 April 2012: A conference on the global ban on cluster bombs has concluded with news that at least 650,000 cluster munitions stockpiled by States Parties’, containing 68.2million explosive submunitions, have been destroyed.
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(Geneva, 18 April 2012) Yesterday at the global meeting on progress being made against the Convention on Cluster Munitions, states home to communities living in the shadow of unexploded cluster bombs gave updates on how the treaty forges increased clearance of this lethal threat.

With a decade to clear all unexploded cluster bombs, the CMC was happy to hear that all but the most heavily contaminated States Parties are on track to clear all their land within the deadline – moving closer each year to a world truly free of this terrible weapon. (more…)

(Geneva, 17 April 2012) Under the Convention on Cluster Munitions victim assistance is not optional: all States Parties must provide physical and psychological rehabilitation and ensure the full social and economic inclusion of victims of the devastating effects of cluster bombs. (more…)

(Geneva, 16 April 2012) This week’s meeting to discuss worldwide progress on the ban on cluster munitions began today, with promising news that several countries will soon ratify the ban treaty.

During today’s discussions on the universalisation of the Convention, Australia, Canada, Chad, Hungary, Peru, Sweden and Switzerland all announced that they will become states parties to the Convention in the coming months. Chad, Hungary, Peru and Sweden all announced parliamentary approval and now need to deposit instruments of ratification with the United Nations. (more…)

(Geneva, 16 April 2012): Government representatives from around 60 states are meeting this week to discuss progress being made to rid the world of cluster bombs under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. (more…)

The Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munitions, a member of the ICBL-CMC, was awarded the 15th Tji Haksoon Justice and Peace Award 2012 on 14 March 2012 in recognition of their dedication to the welfare and rights of landmine victims. During the visit, campaigners took the opportunity to urge the South Korean government to stop the manufacture of cluster munitions in the country and to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Mine Ban Treaty.  (more…)

The Republic of Honduras ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 21 March 2012 becoming the 70th State Party to the treaty.  The ratification comes in advance of the Convention on Cluster Munitions Intersessional Meetings that will take place in Geneva from 16-19 April 2012.  At this meeting governments will take stock of the progress made so far in implementing the Convention on Cluster Munition using the Vientiane Action Plan as a roadmap. (more…)

The Republic of Côte d’Ivoire became the 69th State Party to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions after depositing its instrument of ratification on 12 March, 2012. (more…)