07 October 2008

The Ban Bus in Macedonia, 5 - 7 October 2008

On 6 October 2008 The Ban Bus was set up on the main square in Macedonia’s capital Skopje. Campaigners set up a photo exhibition documenting the civilian harm caused by cluster munitions and collected signatures for the People’s Treaty.A press conference took place at 12pm, followed by a reception in the Holiday Inn, the main hotel in town. John Rodsted pointed out that the main aim of this campaign is to stop the production, use, and stockpiling of cluster bombs. He explained that the consequences of cluster bombs can be felt years after an attack, and that the process of clearing contaminated areas takes between 8-10 years.NGOs, media and the Norwegian ambassador in Macedonia, Mr. Carl Schiøtz Wibye, participated in the press conference and the Ban Bus activities were covered in several newspapers as well as on TV.Natasa Dokovska, Executive Director, Journalists for Children and Women Rights and Environmental Protection in Macedonia (JCWE), ndokovska@gmail.com