15 June 2010
COUNTDOWN TO ENTRY INTO FORCE-WEEK 8: GRENADA
Grenada has the unfortunate distinction of being the only country in the Caribbean where cluster munitions have been used. A decision by Grenada to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions would help to further stigmatise the weapon so that they are never again used and would support overall human security."The Convention on Cluster Munitions is part of the overall fabric of international humanitarian law and the global effort to promote human security and address armed violence. Some countries suffer from cluster munitions; some suffer more from gun violence. By joining the range of international instruments on the protection of civilians, states show solidarity with and help to strengthen each others' efforts to promote peace and security for all" said Richard Moyes of Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) and co-chair of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC).Grenada is not believed to have used, produced, stockpiled, or transferred cluster munitions. United States Navy aircraft dropped 21 Mk.-20 Rockeye cluster bombs during the invasion of Grenada in November 1983.During the Oslo Process, Grenada participated in the regional conference in Quito, Ecuador in November 2008, but did not take part in other international or regional meetings on the issue. It has not made a public statement regarding its policy on cluster munitions.To date, four Caribbean states have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions (Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti and St. Vincent and the Grenadines), but none has ratified. In contrast the Caribbean states have all joined the Mine Ban Treaty, a twin convention based on the same humanitarian imperatives. The CMC calls on all states to ratify the Convention as soon as possible and to attend the First Meeting of States Parties in Lao PDR from 8-12 November.Download letters urging the government of Grenada to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions:Template letter urging Grenada to sign the ConventionAdditional information on Grenada and cluster munitions:
- Grenada country chapter of the May 2009 report, Banning Cluster Munitions: Government Policy and Practice
