A Step Forward on Cluster Bombs

    Last month, 111 countries convened in Dublin, Ireland to endorsethe Cluster Munitions Convention, a treaty to ban the use of clusterbombs. Cluster bombs are munitions used in combat which eject smaller"bomblets" when they are set off. Many are dropped or launched but donot explode until years later, harming or killing civilians who unintentionally come incontact with them.

Thistreaty includes provisions barring the production, stockpiling, andtransfer of cluster bombs. Nations, organizations, and victims ofcluster bombs around the world have worked for many years to bringabout this agreement. It will not only eradicate cluster bombs, butactively support the victims of cluster explosions.

Thetreaty will be formally signed in December of 2008 by the 111 originalcountries, and any other countries that have since endorsed it. Aftercountries sign the treaty, each of their governments must ratify it.Once 30 countries ratify the treaty it becomes international law. Oncethe treaty becomes law, it will be an important tool to end the use ofthese indiscriminate weapons.

The ClusterMunitions Coalition, which has been a major leader in the campaign toend cluster bombs, has a petition called the People's Treaty which wasre-launched when the treaty was endorsed in Dublin. The Petition callson governments who have already signed the treaty to carry it throughto law. It also calls on countries who have not yet signed (like theUnited States) to sign on in December.Add your name  to this important petition by clickingon the link above!

(Photo courtesy of Flickr user Leesan under the Creative Commons License )