Cluster Munitions Coalition

Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions

On Friday 30 May, 2008, 111 governments participating in the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions formally adopted the text of a new Convention or Treaty banning the weapon. (see attached document for the text of the Convention).

After the formal adoption of the treaty text in Dublín today, the signing of the treaty will take place in Oslo in early December 2008. For the treaty to enter into force it must be ratified by 30 countries. Survivors and campaigners will be following up on a national level with the People's Treaty launched today.

"It is up to Governments now to show the political will to immediately start destroying stocks, clearing contaminated land and assisting survivors and their families", said Simon Conway, a former soldier and CMC Co-Chair

The treaty, which will see the majority of the world's stockpilers, producers and past users of cluster bombs enforce a categorical ban, has exceeded all expectations. Although initially stockpiler nations tried to protect their own stockpiles, no transition period and no exceptions are allowed.

This is a huge success, not only providing for a categorical prohibition on all cluster munitions, ensuring that they will never have the chance to kill and main civilians through future use, but also providing unprecedented assistance to those affected by the weapon, setting new standards for international human rights and humanitarian law.

The UK played a significant role in ensuring that the negotiations were successful. The Prime Minister’s intervention on 28 May, announcing the withdrawal from service of the UK’s remaining cluster munitions, influenced the decision of many other governments participating in the conference and helped to find consensus for a strong Treaty text.

Although a strong Treaty text, there is one element of the Treaty that causes particular concern and will need to be monitored carefully. This relates to Article 21 on Relations with States not Party to the Convention, concerning the stockpiling of cluster munitions on a states party’s soil by a state that has not signed up to the Convention and to the use of cluster munitions in joint military operations with states that have not signed up to the Convention. The challenge is to ensure that this article does not become a loophole in an otherwise strong treaty.

On the 3 June, four days after the end of the Conference, the UK stated, on parliamentary record, a commitment to see the removal of US stockpiles within the eight-year stockpile destruction period contained in the Treaty. In the same debate they also showed their clear commitment to the process, stating that they will sign the Treaty at the signing ceremony in Oslo in December.

Early ratification
The Convention will be open for signature in Oslo on the 2 and 3 December 2008 and will enter into force six months after the 30th country has ratified it. The UK now needs to concentrate on implementing national legislation prohibiting cluster munitions, to enable early ratification. Taking a leadership role in this way will help to internationally stigmatise the weapon and prevent other countries, that have not signed, from using them. Attached is a letter that we are asking our supporters to send to their local MPs, congratulating them on the UK’s role and urging the government to seek early ratification.

To read more on this go to the CMC Ireland link.


We send our best wishes to Kate Moore (SIGBI Federation's Director of Membership) who is a member of the Board of Directors of Landmine Action, working in Dublin with the team who pushed through this vital Treaty.

UKPAC one of the first!

On 8 October, 2003, the UKPAC became one of the first members of the Cluster Munitions Coalition prior to the launch on the 12 and 13 November of that year.

Now known as the CMC, it is an international civil society movement, committed to stopping cluster munitions, a weapon type that kills indiscriminately and that is stockpiled in the billions by over 50 countries.

Through their membership of the CMC, Soroptimists in the UK continue to work towards a total ban on the manufacture, transfer, stockpiling and use of cluster munitions.

Campaign grows

The major international campaign to ban cluster munitions continues to grow with 76 countries now supporting the Oslo process. Soroptimists, through the tireless efforts of Kate Moore, continue to play a high profile part in the campaign.

The recent change in the UK government provides an ideal opportunity to emphasise to the new government the strength of feeling of our members in support of the ban. We are urged to email the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, to ensure the UK government wholeheartedly supports the Oslo Process www.landmineaction.org/support/email alternatively you can join in the debate on the priorities of the UK’s foreign policy on the UK government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website by clicking this link:


More information about cluster munitions can be found on the Cluster Munitions Coalition web site www.stopclustermunitions.org There is also link to the UK online petition on the Downing Street web site: www.petitions.pm.gov.uk/Clusterbombs

Handicap International continues to host the main online petition, which now has over 330.000 signatures but still needs more! Or visit their dedicated website:www.clusterbombs.org.uk

All this offers plenty of lobbying opportunities from simple petitions to sign or opportunities to make your own views known.

Please read the message from Kate Moore on the signing of the Cluster Munitions Declaration.

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