Lucas Demands UN Action On Cluster Bombs Ahead Of Treaty Review Conference
19 October 2006 - Euro-MP Caroline Lucas has demanded a complete ban on the use of cluster bombs because of their impact on civilians in conflict zones around the world.
The Green Party MEP made her comments ahead of a Geneva meeting to review the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), which governs international law relating to indiscriminate conventional weapons, due to take place next month.
“There can be no place for weapons of war that kill and maim civilians,” she said. “ Cluster bomblets are killing hundreds and maiming thousands – often children attracted by the colourful devices and often decades after the end of hostilities. Their manufacture and use must be outlawed once and for all at the forthcoming Geneva meeting.”
A report published today by charity Landmine Action shows how cluster bombs were used indiscriminately by the Israeli military during this summer’s bombardment of civilian targets in Lebanon .
There have already been over 140 casualties from unexploded bomblets in Lebanon since the end of hostilities, more than a third of them children. Large areas of agricultural land have been rendered useless and schools, roads, houses and hospitals are still littered with unexploded ordnance, months after the end of hostilities, according to the report.
Dr Lucas, a co-founder and co-president of the European Parliament’s cross-party peace group, said that the UN itself has argued cluster bomb use in Lebanon is ‘completely immoral’ and ‘shocking’ – and that as many as one million unexploded bomblets remain in Lebanese towns and villages.
“There can be no justification for using cluster bombs or any indiscriminate and imprecise weapons in the 21st Century. Doing so offers little or no military advantage – and is arguably a breach of existing international law.
“States such as the UK, US and Israel claim their stockpile, manufacture and use is perfectly legal, and morally justified – even when doing so results in the daily death of innocent children in former battle zones.
“The forthcoming Geneva review of the CCW treaty gives all signatories a chance to ban their use once and for all.
“It is vital that the EU and UK Government argue strongly for this position next month – and that they lead by example and decommission all stockpiles of cluster bombs and landmines held by the UK and all other EU governments.”
ENDS
