| U.S.
Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Bombs News
1) Cluster Bomb Treaty: Momentum Builds This past week (February 18-22), 122 countries met in Wellington, New Zealand to continue working toward a global treaty banning cluster bombs. At the conclusion, 82 countries signed the “Wellington Declaration”—signifying their intent to sign a cluster bomb treaty that is expected to be finalized during a meeting in Dublin, Ireland in May. Signatories included most members of the NATO alliance. The United States did not participate in the Wellington meeting. According to a statement issued by U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Janine Burns, “The United States shares in the humanitarian concerns that have been raised about cluster munitions but is opposed to any ban on them because of their demonstrated military utility.” The U.S. actively sought to undermine the negotiations by encouraging NATO allies to seek an exemption that would allow continued U.S. cluster bomb use in coalition warfare and also to allow states to phase out their use of these weapons over a 10 year period. Campaigners hailed it as a major victory that the declaration’s language was not watered down, and that states showed strong resolve to craft the strongest treaty possible. Footage from the negotiations is available on YouTube. Legislation pending in the U.S. Congress would prohibit the U.S. military from using cluster munitions that leave behind unacceptably high numbers of ‘dud’—but still deadly—cluster submunitions on the ground. It would also prohibit all use of cluster munitions in areas normally inhabited by civilians. Send your Senators a letter, urging their support of this legislation, by going to: http://action.fcnl.org/r/7050/56075/. 2) Mark Your Calendar - Make April a Month of Action! On April 30, 1975 U.S. helicopters evacuated Saigon, finally ending the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War. But U.S. landmines and cluster bomblets left behind continue to kill and maim in Southeast Asia. In Laos, there are still an estimated 10 million U.S.-dropped cluster submunitions on the ground, killing and injuring hundreds every year. The U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines is planning a month of actions across the country to commemorate the anniversary, raise funds to clean up this mess, and galvanize opposition to further U.S. use of landmines and cluster bombs. Stay tuned for more information - and let us know now if you're interested in finding out what's happening in your part of the world by visiting: http://action.fcnl.org/r/7051/56075/ 3)Dan Rather and Other Sources on Cluster Bomb Use in South Lebanon In mid-February "Dan Rather Reports" aired a half-hour segment on the impact of cluster bombs in southern Lebanon and Israel following the 2006 Israel-Hizbullah conflict. The program can be viewed online. In conjunction with the Wellington conference, Human Rights Watch released a new report on Israeli cluster bomb use in Lebanon. Among the facts HRW documented: 4.6 million cluster submunitions used, killing or maiming 200 civilians after conflict ended. To read the full report, go to: http://action.fcnl.org/r/7052/56075/ And Haaretz, a leading daily newspaper in Israel, reported on January 31 that Israel's use of cluster munitions "does not conform to international law". The finding was a conclusion of the Winograd Committee, which looked into Israel's conduct in the 2006 war in Lebanon. 4) Roots of Peace Founder Meets with the Pope Roots of Peace-founded by Heidi Kuhn in San Rafael, CA in 1997-works to "replace mines with vines" and restore formerly mined land to agricultural use. Heidi, who also serves on the USCBL steering committee, was recently granted an audience with Pope Benedict XVI, where she presented the Pope with a basket of grapes and raisins harvested in Afghanistan in a formerly mine-infested area. Cardinal Renato R. Martino, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, also met with Heidi and encouraged her and coalition partners in their "noble efforts". Roots of Peace has also launched a "Penny Campaign," where school children in the United States raise money to build schools in Afghanistan. To learn more about these efforts, go to www.rootsofpeace.org. For more information on the US Campaign to Ban Landmines, go to www.banminesusa.org U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines To make a donation to the US Campaign to Ban Landmines go to: www.banminesusa.org/support/body.html and click on Donate. |
| FREE EMAIL CAMPAIGN UPDATES |
|
| Please enter your email address and click "Go" | |
|
| SEARCH OUR SITE |
| For more information on the Mine
Ban Treaty and countries that have ratified it, contact the International
Campaign to Ban Landmines www.icbl.org
US Campaign to Ban Landmines |