| U.S.
Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Bombs News
1) Lebanon Photos Win White House Photojournalism Competition A series of photos showing the devastation wrought by cluster bombs in southern Lebanon received first place in White House News Photographers Association competition. The photos, taken by the Washington Post's Jaki Chikwendiu, focus on the impact cluster bombs have had on a 17-year-old Lebanese woman. Click here to visit the Washington Post's interactive site on cluster bombs, which includes the award-winning slideshow. 2) U.S. Continues to Oppose Cluster Bomb Treaty While Legislative Efforts Move Forward The U.S. government reiterated its opposition to a global treaty that would ban cluster bombs earlier this month in Geneva. At the same time, the U.S. indicated that it would move to create a "quick reaction force" to clean-up explosive remnants of war, including landmines and cluster bomb duds. While an increase in demining efforts is certainly a positive step, continued opposition to the global treaty process underscores the need to pass legislation here in the U.S. which would bring the government into line with the growing consensus against the indiscriminate use of cluster bombs. "If the administration refuses to act, Congress should act by passing the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act," said Lora Lumpe, coordinator of the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines. Read more about the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act. 3) How Many Iraqis Have Been Killed by Cluster Bombs in Iraq? The group Iraq Body Count claims that the casualty count from U.S. cluster bombs in Iraq is far higher than the U.S. government's tally. Drawing upon their own field research and news reports, the group estimates that at least 200 Iraqi civilians were killed by U.S. cluster bombs during the 2003 invasion. Iraqi civilians aren't the only victims of cluster bombs; while the U.S. military does not distinguish between cluster submunition explosions and other explosive devices, according to one report at least eight U.S. soldiers have been killed or injured by U.S. cluster bombs in Iraq. 4) Funding for Cluster Bomb Demining in Laos Decreasing A report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) indicates that, despite the persistent threat of unexploded cluster bombs which litter the Lao countryside, U.S. funding for demining programs in Laos is likely to decrease 40% between 2006 and 2008. It is estimated that cluster bombs have claimed at least 12,000 casualties in Laos, and continue to claim hundreds more each year. For more information on the lasting impact of cluster bombs in Laos, visit the Legacies of War website. 5) Peace Group Protests Production of Cluster Bombs and Other Weapons at Lockheed Martin A group of citizen activists spent Martin Luther King Day (January 21st) protesting outside the Bethesda headquarters of Lockheed Martin. The citizen activists, who were organized by Peace Action Montgomery County (MD), banded together under the slogan "No Profit From Death". A recent Washington Post article shows Lockheed's profit's rose nearly 10% during the final quarter of 2007. Lockheed Martin is one of the leading producers of cluster bombs in the United States; under a recently announced contract, the U.S. Army is set purchase 5,000-6,000 cluster bombs per year from Lockheed Martin through 2020. 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 |