Cluster bomb ban surprises observers

by Rafael Epstein

(May 29, Dublin, Sri Lanka Guardian) A draft international treaty to ban cluster bombs has been agreed at an international conference in Dublin, an outcome that has surprised many observers.

In a change of heart, the UK said it would sign up to the ban, but key manufacturers and users of the weapons, like China, the United States and Israel, are not even at the conference.

Countries like Australia are being criticised for not pushing hard enough for a clause that would stop their forces fighting alongside US forces who were using cluster bombs.

The campaign to ban cluster bombs comes after the success of the ban on landmines.

Campaigners consider the weapons to be similar in particular because they are designed to remain active years after a conflict.

Britain's change of heart was a massive boost to the Dublin conference.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown appears to have overturned opposition from his own Ministry of Defence.

Archie Law from AustCare is part of the Cluster Munitions Coalition and is in Dublin for the conference.

"If you asked everyone 18 months ago that we'd be in this room today with this many countries and this strong a treaty text there wouldn't have been too many on board that ship. I think for what the UK has done it's just been a huge step forward for the treaty," Mr Law said.

He also says that although key nations are not involved in the treaty process, the agreement will still have force.

"It will send a very strong message to any country that there's a treaty that bans cluster bombs," he said.

"It also obliges all countries who are signatory to that convention to pass that message on to anyone who wants to use cluster bombs, like the US, that it's going to be very difficult for any state to use cluster bombs, whether they're signed up to this treaty or not, in the future."

Israel used cluster bombs in Lebanon in 2006. They have also been used by US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One big bomb opens in mid-air, dropping sometimes hundreds of smaller individual bomblets. They are supposed to explode once they hit their target, but they can fail to do so, leaving a deadly legacy - a minefield as civilians return to their homes.

A major sticking point is whether the treaty would stop countries like Australia and Britain from fighting alongside countries like the US, if America plans to use cluster bombs in that conflict.

The UK also has concerns about America's cluster munitions stores on British soil.

Mr Law told the Media the rules of engagement for conflicts will now need to take into account the new treaty.

"We've already done this 10 years ago where land mines, anti-personnel mines aren't allowed to be used. This is the next stage," Mr Law said.

"When you talk to the US and you're having discussions pre-conflict and working out the rules of engagement it's putting the hand up and saying that we are a signatory and a state party to this treaty and cluster bombs can't be used in this conflict if we are a party to a coalition. It's simple and no more complicated than that."

Negotiations on the treaty are expected to conclude on Friday.
- Sri Lanka Guardian