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.
The declaration states that cluster bombs cause unacceptable harm to civilians and their use, production and transfer must be banned. It calls for a framework so that survivors of cluster bombs are provided with care and rehabilitation. Signatories included most members of the NATO alliance, including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom.   

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.” A U.S. military official was less diplomatic, dismissing the treaty negotiation as ‘feel good arms control.’

The U.S. actively sought to undermine the negotiations by encouraging the above 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 Representative and Senators a letter, urging their support of this legislation.