Why are cluster munitions banned?
Because cluster bombs release many small bomblets over a wide area, they pose risks to civilians both during attacks and afterwards. Cluster munitions are prohibited for those nations that ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, adopted in Dublin, Ireland in May 2008.
What country has not signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions?
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe, which has not signed the treaty, was the only country to vote against the resolution, as Russia abstained for the first time, after voting no in 2015-2017.
Did the US ban cluster bombs?
The United States stopped buying new cluster munitions for its military in 2007 and, except for a single strike in Yemen in 2009, has not used them since early 2003. More than 100 countries are states-parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans the use of the weapons.
What is a cluster bomb?
A cluster munition (or cluster bomb) is a container filled with small explosive bombs called “sub-munitions.” This container may be a shell, rocket, missile, or other device. Dropped from an aircraft or fired from the ground, it opens in the air and releases the sub-munitions.
How is the Convention on cluster munitions enforced?
Under the Convention, all States Parties must destroy all stockpiles of cluster munitions under their jurisdiction and control as soon as possible but no later than eight years after the Convention enters into force for the State Party.
Who signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions?
Signatories included 21 of the 27 member-states of the European Union and 18 of the 26 countries in NATO. Among the signatories were several states affected by cluster munitions, including Laos and Lebanon.
What countries ban cluster bombs?
Hot off the press! Between August 2010 and July 2020, cluster munitions were deployed in seven countries that have not signed the global disarmament treaty banning them: Cambodia, Libya, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen.
Are cluster munitions legal?
The Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) is an international treaty that prohibits all use, transfer, production, and stockpiling of cluster bombs, a type of explosive weapon which scatters submunitions (“bomblets”) over an area.
Are cluster bombs banned by the Geneva Convention?
When did the Convention on Cluster Munitions come into force?
Adopted on 30 May 2008 in Dublin, Ireland and signed on 3-4 December 2008 in Oslo, Norway, the Convention on Cluster Munitions entered into force on 1 August 2010. To date 121 states have committed to the goals of the Convention, of which 108 have become States Parties and 13 are Signatories.
How big does a cluster munitions submunition have to be?
Each submunition must have the capability to detect and engage a single target object and contain electronic self-destruct and self-deactivation devices. Weapons containing submunitions which each weigh at least 20 kg (44 lb) are also excluded.
What was the Oslo Declaration on Cluster Munitions?
At this time, 46 nations issued the “Oslo Declaration”, committing themselves to: Conclude by 2008 a legally binding international instrument that prohibits the use and stockpiling of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians and secure adequate provision of care and rehabilitation to survivors and clearance of contaminated areas.
Is it true that cluster munitions are humane weapons?
According to the Pentagon’s 2008 policy, cluster munitions are actually humane weapons.