Cluster munitions

Destruction of Norwegian cluster ammunition

The destruction of Norway’s arsenal of cluster ammunition started last week. Thursday, April the 3rd, the first 1500 of a stock of about 300.000 cluster bombs were blown up to be destructed.

Destruction of Norwegian cluster ammunition

The destruction of Norway’s arsenal of cluster ammunition started last week. Thursday, April the 3rd, the first 1500 of a stock of about 300.000 cluster bombs were blown up to be destructed.

LAOS RATIFIES CLUSTER BOMB BAN TREATY

(New York, 18 March 2009) – The Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the country most affected by cluster bombs in the world today ratified the treaty banning the deadly munitions and requiring their clearance, said the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC). The ratification took place at a special event at the United Nations in New York on the Convention on Cluster Munitions attended by 75 countries.

CMC urges Sri Lanka to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions

In an open letter to president Mahinda Rajapaska the Cluster Munition Coalition urges Sri Lanka to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Historic treaty bans cluster bombs

Oslo, Dec 4thd, 2008 - Today in Oslo, governments from around the world celebrated the signature of an historic treaty banning the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions. The Convention on Cluster Munitions sets the highest standard to date in international law for assistance to victims and their communities. The convention also obliges nations to destroy all stockpiles within eight years and to clear contaminated land within ten. As with the treaty banning antipersonnel landmines, this treaty will make it difficult for countries who have not signed to ever use these weapons again.

Nominated for the Peer Gynt award

NPA through its advisor Grethe Østern has been nominated to the prestigious Peer Gynt award.

Vietnam takes one step closer to the Oslo Treaty

Between 27-28th October 2008 Vietnam took one more positive step towards the Oslo Treaty in Hanoi. In a very successful workshop hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and attended by various Vietnamese Ministries with a heavy presence from the Ministry of Defence, lively conversations were exchanged in discussions concerning the treaty and what it would mean for Vietnam to join.

All Norwegian clusters to be destroyed

Norwegian Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen Tuesday October 28th marked the start of the process to destroy Norwegian cluster munitions.

South East Asian talks open in Lao PDR

(Lao PDR, October 20th) South East Asian governments met today in Lao PDR, the most cluster bombed country in the world, to discuss how the new treaty to ban cluster bombs will make a difference on the ground and to rally support for the treaty signing in Oslo on 3 December.

Welcome to the Signing Conference!

NPA and all our partners in the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) are looking forward to the Oslo Signing Conference in Norway, which will be held in Oslo from 2-4 December. The CCM signing will be one of the most important international events of 2008, an historic moment to celebrate and remember forever.

EPIC TRIP TO END SUFFERING

(Serbia, 2 October 2008): An epic trip designed to help end the suffering of millions around the world begins this afternoon.

MOMENTUM BUILDS AS CLUSTER BOMB BAN SIGNING APPROACHES

With two months remaining until the international treaty banning cluster bombs is opened for signature in Norway, civil society representatives are calling on all states to announce their intent to sign. All of the 42 African states gathered in Kampala for a regional conference today agreed to an action plan that calls for the earliest possible signature and ratification and 28 made firm commitments to sign on December 3 2008.

NPA condemns Russian and Georgian use of Cluster Bombs

While more than 100 nations have agreed to ban cluster munitions, Russia and Georgia have used them in the current fighting in blatant contempt of international society and indifferent to the human suffering they cause.

Cluster Munition Coalition condemns Russian use of cluster bombs in Georgia

The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) condemns Russia’s use of cluster bombs in Georgia just three months after 107 nations agreed to ban the weapon and urges all countries and organisations to speak out against this action and call for an immediate end to their use.

NEVER AGAIN

In memory of Lebanese victims campaigners worldwide urge governments to sign cluster bomb ban

SOUTH AFRICAN RUNS FROM PRETORIA TO CAPE TOWN

A South African campaigner will embark on a grueling 1400 kilometer run tomorrow, to urge his government to sign an historic cluster bomb ban treaty open to signature this December. Kennedy Mabasa will run from the Union Buildings in Pretoria to the Houses of Parliament in Cape Town. He will start the run at 5am tomorrow morning, reaching Johannesburg at 12.00 noon for interviews.

Clearing cluster bombs: Operations begin in Vietnam

The 30th May will be seen historically for the successful closure of the Dublin Conference where over 100 countries adopted the Cluster Munition Treaty. Three days later another equally historical day passed when the NPA/RENEW Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team went operational in Cam Lo District, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam.

Help Ban Cluster Bombs Now!

The Cluster Munition Coalition, in collaboration with Mines Action Canada, re-launched the People’s Treaty on 30 May – the final day of the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions after the 111 participating states unanimously adopted the new treaty. Following this, the campaign is now working to ensure that as many states as possible sign the new treaty in Oslo from 2-3 December 2008. It is only six months between Dublin and Oslo to ensure that countries – your country – will be ready to sign the treaty so that it can become binding international law.

Over 100 countries adopt groundbreaking treaty to ban cluster bombs

Cluster bomb survivors and campaigners today welcomed the formal adoption of the Cluster Munitions Convention by over 100 countries. This historic treaty bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of all existing and future cluster bombs. To keep pressure on governments and to ensure that the treaty enters into force, campaigners today launched the People's Treaty.

Hollow "new" U.S. policy on Cluster bombs

A month after 111 nations including major US allies agreed to ban cluster bombs, the United States says it will continue to use its huge stockpile for another decade.

Grethe Østerns closing statement in Dublin

NPAs Grethe Østern delivered the statement of the Cluster Munitions Coalitions during the closing ceremony of the Cluster Munitions Conference in Dublin friday.

Over 100 countries adopt groundbreaking treaty to ban cluster bombs

Cluster bomb survivors and campaigners today welcomed the formal adoption of the Cluster Munitions Convention by over 100 countries. This historic treaty bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of all existing and future cluster bombs. To keep pressure on governments and to ensure that the treaty enters into force, campaigners today launched the People's Treaty.

Cluster bomb survivors and campaigners rejoice

Cluster bomb suvivors and campaigners are tonight rejoicing over the groundbreaking and comprehensive new treaty to ban cluster bombs that has just been provisionally agreed in Dublin. After ten days of intense negotiation under Irish leadership, 110 countries negotiating at the conference and hundreds of campaigners and survivors within the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) welcomed the treaty.

2C, OR NOT 2C, THAT IS THE QUESTION…

After easing in on Sunday afternoon with a session on the “other definitions” – where the CMC helped clarify and clean up certain definitions and fought hard to ensure transit is covered by the definition of “transfer” – negotiations began again on Monday 26 May 2008, the second week of the Dublin Conference.

CAMPS EMERGE ON KEY ISSUES

On Wednesday, 21 May 2008, the third day of the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions, negotiations on critical issues shifted from mainly political discussions to the consideration of textual proposals. Four informal sessions were held on definitions, interoperability, storage and stockpile destruction, and victim assistance. Discussions were increasingly technical and tough at times, but work is progressing at a rapid pace.

Half Way There

On Friday, 23 May 2008, the final day of week one of the Dublin Conference, participants regrouped in the Committee of the Whole to take stock of work accomplished thus far in the week. President Ambassador O'Ceallaigh held an article by article review of the Treaty and the Friends of the Presidents presented their discussion papers for consideration by all delegations.

PROGRESS TOWARDS SOME TEXT SOLUTIONS

Thursday 22 May 2008, the fourth day of the Dublin Conference, states continued to clarify their positions on definitions and interoperability, and moved towards concluding the first round of negotiations on other issues such as victim assistance, stockpile destruction, and clearance. For definitions and interoperability, the contentious issues of the day, several states began to lay down “red lines” and it appears that the real negotiation is about to begin.

CAMPS EMERGE ON KEY ISSUES

On Wednesday, 21 May 2008, the third day of the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions, negotiations on critical issues shifted from mainly political discussions to the consideration of textual proposals. Four informal sessions were held on definitions, interoperability, storage and stockpile destruction, and victim assistance. Discussions were increasingly technical and tough at times, but work is progressing at a rapid pace.

The Nitty-Gritty

Off to a good start, on Tuesday 20 May 2008, the second day of the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions, work began in earnest on the substantive issues before the Conference.

A Strong Start

The Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions began Monday 19 May 2008 with a smooth procedural start, a very positive tone and mood, and a highly efficient and interactive approach to the deliberations.

Faith Leaders' Appeal for an International Treaty to Ban Cluster Munitions

As people of faith, we raise our voices for the protection of life and promotion of peace by calling on all governments to end the production, transfer, stockpiling, and use of cluster bombs.

Last inning of Oslo process to ban cluster munitions

The Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions will take place from 19-30 May 2008 in Dublin, Ireland. It is the crucial conference that will aim at negotiating a new instrument of international humanitarian law banning cluster munitions.

Strong landmark African declaration to ban cluster bombs

At the conclusion of the first ever meeting of African countries on cluster bombs, 38 out of 39 countries attending the meeting endorsed a strong political "Livingstone Declaration", committing them to negotiating a global ban on the weapons in Dublin next month. Only South Africa, one of the continent's two producer states, called for exceptions to the ban.

make it happen - the movie

Werner Anderson and Norwegian People’s Aid present ”make it happen”, a photographic portrait of the human suffering that triggered the Oslo process to ban cluster munitions

Historic step forward for treaty to ban cluster bombs

After a week of tough diplomatic talks, the voice of survivors and committed states has prevailed and a draft treaty to ban cluster munitions has been endorsed for formal negotiation.

M85 presentation

The main conclusions of the M85 report were presented in plenary at the Vienna Conference on Cluster Munitions 6 December.

Conference on Cluster Munitions

The Wellington Conference on Cluster Munitions: The last preparatory conference of the 'Oslo Process', an international initiative to ban cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians, assist survivors and affected communities and ensure clearance of their land.

New report: M85 - higher failure rate

Producers and stockpilers of M85 have argued that their tests show that the failure rate for this bomblet type is only 1% or 2%, this new report proves that the failure rate for this bomblet in Lebanon was around 10%.

No hope for cluster bomb ban in Geneva but momentum grows for Vienna treaty talks

Cluster munition talks proved fruitless in Geneva as the focus shifts to a major international conference in Vienna to develop a ban treaty. Cluster munitions have been the central issue at the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) at the United Nations, as proposals for future work were consistently weakened in the backrooms and almost no substantive work was undertaken on the issue.

Ambitious UN position on cluster munitions

The UN has recently adopted a new and ambitious position on cluster munitions. The decision was taken on 17 September in the so-called Meeting of Principles of the UN Interagency Coordination Group, which includes all the UN organizations from UNICEF to UNDP.

Cluster munitions gallery

NPA and Cluster Munitions Coalition has developed a web gallery with pictures of cluster bombs and cluster bomb damage.

Australian documentary

The Australian television show Dateline has made a documentary called "Ban the Bomlets", about cluster munition, showing some of NPA's work and fotage from the Oslo meeting.

The speeches from the Oslo meeting on cluster munitions

Listen to the speeches held at the Cluster Munition meeting in Oslo in February.

Yellow killers

NATO's use of cluster munition in Serbia in 1999 still demands victims today. The report "Yellow killers" shows that when cluster munitions are used, sivilians suffer the most

Update on NPA's work against cluster munitions

NPA has during the course of the last year stepped up our involvement in the campaign to ban cluster munitions. This has had concrete results on the Norwegian home front and sparked the Norwegian government to take the initiative for an international process aiming to negotiate a ban on cluster munitions.

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