8/3/2019 Ban Newsletter Nr 28

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As long as investments inmines and cluster munitions areongoing the threat of those weap-ons remains. Although some EUcountries like Belgium, Ireland andLuxembourg took the lead in leg-islation that bans investment in

these weapons, too many EU coun-tries and institutions are laggingbehind.

States should recognizethat prohibition of investment iscomprised under the prohibitionto “assist, encourage or induceanyone to engage in any activityprohibited to a State Party underthis Convention”.Several states declared that byadapting the Convention, theybanned investments as well. Those

States must ensure that no na-tional financial actor should beable to invest or finance produc-tion of cluster munitions anymore.They need a binding legislationand full implementation of it.

Hall of fameBelgium was the first coun-

try to prohibit investments in pro-duction of mines and cluster muni-tions. Ireland, Luxembourg and

New Zealand followed. France andthe United Kingdom issued minis-terial statements banning invest-ments in cluster munitions pro-ducers. The Norwegian govern-

ment took steps not to invest itsgovernment managed pensionfunds’ money in cluster muni-tions producers.

Parliamentary initiativesto prohibit investments in clus-ter munitions producers have

taken place in Germany, Nor-way, the Netherlands, Switzer-land and Italy. Several countriesstated, they consider investmentin cluster munitions producersto be prohibited under theConvention on Cluster Muni-tions, including Australia,Cameroon, Colombia, Croatia,Guatemala, the Holy See, Hun-gary, Lebanon, Madagascar, Ma-lawi, Malta, Mexico, Rwanda andZambia.

In the report, more thanfourty-five financial institutionsare listed as having taken stepsto end investments in clustermunitions producers.

On 25 May 2011, Net- werk Vlaanderen and IKV Pax Christi, both members of theCluster Munitions Coalition,launched an update of the re- port "Worldwide Investments in Cluster Munitions; a shared 

responsibility". Worldwide 39 billion USD is still being in- vested in producers of cluster munitions, which like land- mines, are banned under in- ternational law. Handicap In- ternational calls on Europeancountries to legally ban invest- ments in cluster munitions.Any investment in cluster mu- nitions production undermines the international ban.

Stop investing in any cluster munitions production

An Update by Handicap International on Civilian Harm and Armed Violence

Issue 28, 25 May 2011

For the latest update on the report "Worldwide Investments in Cluster Munitions: A shared responsibility", news, legislationregarding investments in mines and cluster munitions:http:// www.stopexplosiveinvestments.org For the "Hall of Shame”, “Hall of Fame” and more information seealso http://www.netwerkvlaanderen.beand http://www.ikvpaxchristi.nl  

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In February 2011, Thailandused cluster munitionsagainst Cambodia killing twoand aiming seven people, aCMC mission stated. 

This was the first reported useafter entry into force of theConvention on Cluster Muni-tions on 1 August 2010.At the First Meeting of StatesParties, Ban Advocate ThoummySilamphan expressed his hopethat no cluster munitionsshould ever be used again. Ho-wever, the unthinkable andunacceptable happened. Moreo-ver, in April cluster munitionsuse in Libya was documentedby Human Rights Watch.

The world expressed his indi-gnation. CMC, the UN and theEU High Representativecondemned the use and evenUS Secretary of State called it“worrying”.

Lynn Bradach, US Ban Advocate,reacted immediately: “My son a US Marine was killed by one of 

our own cluster bombs in Iraq.Hillary, the use of this weapon is much more than worrying in any situation. This weapon needs to be banned. It is time the US stands up and bans the use of 

this ‘worrisome weapon’ .”

The use of cluster munitionsmust stop immediately. There-fore, more then ever, states haveto adhere to the Convention andshow there is no other way tostop these weapons’ usage.Stockpiles must be destroyed,the civilians in risk protected andthe victims supported.

See www.banadvocates.orgwww.handicapinternational.be 

On the website of Handicap In-ternational Belgium, you’ll find:

HIB Updates on the Convention

on Cluster Munitions, the Mine

Ban Treaty, the Convention on

the Rights of Persons with Disa-

bilities, Survivor Inclusion, Vic-

tim Assistance and Victim Assis-

tance Funding. "For Your Infor-

mation" is an HIB Update on re-

ports, publications, articles,

video's, films, blogs, websites

etc on the Mine Ban Treaty, the

Convention on Cluster Muni-

tions, the Convention on the

Rights of Persons with Disabili-

ties, Armed Violence in general,

Survivors, Ban Advocates, Victim

Assistance etc.

Handicap International (HI) is an

international

On the website of Handicap In-

ternational Belgium, you’ll find:

HIB Updates on the Convention

on Cluster Munitions, the Mine

Ban Treaty, the Convention on

the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities, Survivor Inclusion,

Victim Assistance and Victim

Assistance Funding. "For Your

Information" is an HIB Update on

reports, publications, articles,video's, films, blogs, websites

etc on the Mine Ban Treaty, the

Convention on Cluster

Munitions, the Convention on

the Rights of Persons with Dis-

abilities, Armed Violence in gen-

eral, Survivors, Ban Advocates,

Victim Assistance etc.

For more information

Ban cluster munitions: now more than everPage 2

Lynn Bradach is a Ban Advocate. Her son was killed by a cluster munition inIraq . © M. Wareham—CMC 

Contact and coordination: Hildegarde Vansintjan, Advocacy Officer, Handicap International vzw-asbl, Belgium.Phone: + 32 2 233 01 06 / Mobile: + 32 485 111 460 / Fax: + 32 2 230 60 30 / Spastraat 67 / 67, Rue de Spa / B -1000 Brussels Belgium / hildegarde.vansintjan(at)handicap.be

« This weapon needs to bebanned. It is time the US stands up and bans theuse of this ‘worrisome

weapon’ . »