Signing the body outline petition

Passers by stop to support the ban on cluster munitions

Green MP Keith Locke signals his support by signing the body outline petition

Cluster munition survivors make their message clear to countries wanting to water down the treaty

Mr. Ahmed Najem from Iraq, a cluster munition survivor, signs the bomblet peition to Phil Goff

Survivors hand deliver the bomblet petition to Phil Goff at the Parliamentary Reception

Phil Goff holding up one of the bomblet petitions at the parliamentary reception

The Wellington Conference on Cluster Munitions, held between 18-22 February, was another significant step towards securing a comprehensive and legally binding instrument banning the use of cluster munitions.

Representatives of more than 120 states from all regions of the world attended, and there was a clear consensus amongst the majority of states present that cluster munitions cause unacceptable harm to civilians and should be banned.

Rousing speeches in support of a ban were given by Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams, and many Pacific Island delegates.

Amnesty International organised a public day of action in Civic Square on Wednesday 20 February. Cluster munitions survivors, NGO representatives, government delegates and members of the public joined together in the call to ban cluster munitions. Media from around the world captured people lying on the ground and having chalk outlines drawn around them- a graphic symbol of the many victims of cluster bombs killed or maimed by cluster bombs. By day’s end Civic Square was covered in chalk outlines with the names of all those who had pledged their support for the ban.

Those 1000 names collected by Amnesty International joined the bags of petitions handed over to the Minister of Disarmament the Hon. Minister Phil Goff at a parliamentary reception that evening. AIANZ school groups have also been campaigning on this issue with top school being Westlake Girls’, Auckland, who collected 900 signatures during an action on the same day.

An International Day of Action will be held on 19 April, a month prior and in preparation for the next conference in Dublin (19-30 May 2008) where the treaty text will be finalised. Watch this space for an update and action ask – calling for a “Total Ban on Cluster Munitions!”

If you have not signed the Bomblet petition to Ban Cluster Munitions please visit http://www.stopclusterbombs.org.nz/take-action/petition/

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