Big powers refuse to sign cluster bomb treaty

[rossana <rossana at comodinoposta.org>]

Bombe a grappolo al bando, senza Usa e Russia
ROMA - Centoundici paesi firmano tra oggi e domani ad Oslo il Trattato 
per l'eliminazione delle bombe a grappolo, le famigerate 'cluster bomb': 
proiettili che spargono centinaia di piccoli ordigni sul terreno, alcuni 
dei quali rimangono inesplosi e continuano ad uccidere e mutilare per 
anni. Ma il trattato, il cui testo era stato definito a Dublino nel 
maggio scorso, rischia di servire a poco. Non vi aderiscono i principali 
paesi che costruiscono e usano le cluster bomb: Usa, Russia, Israele, 
Cina, India e Pakistan.

By Anne Penketh, Diplomatic Editor
Wednesday, 3 December 2008

America and Russia are two major holdouts in the signing of a landmark 
agreement banning cluster bombs which both nations have used in the past 
with lethal effect to kill and maim children in Afghanistan.

Britain – a convert to the treaty – is among the 107 nations committed 
to signing the treaty which opened for signature today in Oslo. It was 
the result of a determined “coalition of the willing” whose campaign to 
ban the bombs began after Israel’s 2006 war against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

According to the UN, the Israeli cluster bombs used in that conflict 
scattered 4,000,000 bomblets which can be triggered by children 
attracted to their bright colours.

However, cluster bombs have been used in recent conflicts despite the 
drive to ban them. Both Russia and Georgia – equipped by Israel – are 
accused of having used cluster bombs in the Georgia conflict last 
summer. According to Human Rights Watch, the bombs, which fire dozens of 
bomblets when detonated, killed 17 civilians during the brief, bloody 
war and wounded dozens more.

“Today we confirm that cluster bombs are banned for ever,” said 
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as he opened the conference in 
Norway, the nation leading the movement. “Banning cluster bombs took too 
long. Too many people lost arms and legs.”

The next to sign today were Laos – another convert which has had to deal 
with 400,000 unexploded munitions – and Lebanon. The treaty will come 
into effect once ratified by 30 nations.

The campaign was inspired by the successful drive to ban landmines, 
which went outside the UN with the support of non-government 
organisations to deliver a treaty in 1997. This was despite strong 
resistance from a group of states which wanted to keep the weapons.

Campaigners hope that the cluster bomb treaty holdouts will be shamed 
into restricting their use or observing a moratorium, as happened with 
the 1997 Ottawa treaty. The notable holdouts on cluster bombs – Russia, 
the US, China and Israel – are the same nations who refused to sign the 
Ottawa pact.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/big-powers-refuse-to-sign-cluster-bomb-treaty-1050213.html