1. INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Comoros ratifies and Djibouti signs cluster bomb ban treaty
Two African states took action on the Convention on Cluster Munitions in the days before 1 August 2010, when the Convention entered into force and became binding international law. Comoros ratified the Convention on 28 July at the United Nations, becoming the 38th country fully on board the treaty, and Djibouti signed the Convention on 30 July.
Comoros signs the Convention on Cluster Munitions at the Oslo signing ceremony in December 2008. Credit: Gunnar Mjaugedal/catchlight.no
Convention became binding international law on 1 August 2010
(London, 4 August 2010) – Two African states took action on the Convention on Cluster Munitions in the days before 1 August 2010, when the Convention entered into force and became binding international law. Comoros ratified the Convention on 28 July at the United Nations, becoming the 38th country fully on board the treaty, and Djibouti signed the Convention on 30 July.
Moldova’s Ministry of Defence destroys cluster munition stocks in a controlled explosion at Bulboaca training ground, 29 July 2010. Photo credit: Asle Huse/NPA
Campaigners celebrate as Convention becomes binding international law
(London, 29 July 2010) – The Convention on Cluster Munitions takes effect on Sunday, 1 August 2010, when it becomes binding international law in countries around the world. In dozens of countries, campaigners from the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) will join UN agencies, governments and international organisations in events celebrating the swift entry into force of the most significant disarmament and humanitarian treaty in over a decade.
CMC campaign events in Thailand will celebrate the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 1 August 2010.
As a leader on the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, Thailand participated in the “Oslo Process” to negotiate the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions and has expressed concern about the humanitarian consequences of cluster bombs. Despite this support, Thailand has not yet signed the Convention.
The Kingdom of Morocco participated in the “Oslo Process” to develop and adopt the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but it has yet to sign the treaty.
“Morocco should set an example in the region by joining this landmark humanitarian and disarmament treaty that will ban cluster bombs” said Ayman Sorour, executive director of Protection, a CMC steering committee member that works to ban cluster munitions in the Middle East and North Africa. “Protecting civilians from these indiscriminate weapons must be at the heart of Morocco’s decision to join this treaty” he added.