Global Day of Action to Ban Cluster Bombs: 5 November 2007

CLUSTER BOMBS CAN BE BANNED…

On 5 November campaigners around the world are calling on their government to attend the Vienna Conference on Cluster Munitions in one month’s time from 5 – 7 December and to support a global treaty banning cluster bombs.

Afghanistan – Kabul, campaigners are launching a letter writing campaign to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Martyrs and disabled persons, the chief of staff for the president and parliamentarians. Campaigners are also doing media work.
Firoz Ali Alizada, Afghan Landmine Survivor’s Organisation

Angola – Luanda, campaigners are doing radio interviews and issuing a press release.
Matias Capapelo and Cirilo Mbonge, Angola 2000

Argentina – Buenos Aires, campaigners are launching a lobbying action targeting parliamentarians, as well as coordinating an NGO action by the Argentinean Disarmament Network, and undertaking media work.
Maria Pia Devoto, Asociación para Políticas Públicas

Australia – Sydney, a public event is taking place with ‘amputee silhouettes’ representing the victims and survivors of cluster bombs.
James Turton and Daniel Barty, Austcare

Austria – Vienna, ‘human silhouettes’ holding a banner saying ‘Streubomben verbieten: Make it Happen’ will launch the day of action outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the national petition will be handed over by school children to the Minister who will be the first person to sign it. Later in the day the event will move to the national parliament where the petition will be signed by the President of the Austrian Parliament
Judith Majlath, CMC Austria

Azerbaijan – Baku, a letter writing campaign targeting parliamentarians is taking place urging the government to support the Oslo Process and a treaty banning cluster munitions.
Hafiz Safikhanov, Azerbaijan Campaign to Ban Landmines

Bangladesh – Dhaka, campaigners are submitting letters to the Home Ministry and Foreign Ministry calling on the government to announce a moratorium and attend the Vienna Conference. Campaigners are also issuing a press release and doing media work.
Nadira Mallik, Latifa Gono Shohay Angon (LGSA)

Bosnia and Herzegovina – Sarajevo, Survivors of cluster bombs, and members of the public will march through Sarajevo and ask people to sign a petition which will be submitted to the Council of Ministers. A letter signed by more than 100 local and international organizations working in Bosnia and Herzegovina is being submitted to the government calling for a moratorium (freeze) on cluster bombs. Campaigners have been doing significant media advocacy including appearances on morning television.
Dragana Bulic, Plamenko Priganica, Landmine Survivors’ Network
Alma Taslidzan, Handicap International

Brazil – campaigners across Brazil that are part of the Brazilian disarmament network are launching an email action on the Brazilian government urging Brazil to support the Oslo Process.
Cristian Wittman, Brazilian Campaign to Ban Landmines

Cambodia – Phnom Phen, Battambang, Poipet, Kandal and Seam Reap, campaigners will be driving cars through several villages with banners saying ‘cluster bombs can be banned: Make It Happen’. Also, a public statement by the King on cluster munitions will be published on the third anniversary of his coronation.
Denise Coghlan, Jesuit Refugee Services

Canada – Ottawa, Mines Action Canada are holding a press conference with the Red Cross, issuing a joint opinion editorial and are placing the ‘Spot the Difference’ advertising campaign in community weeklies. Ambassador Otto Ditz of Austria and Ambassador Emilio Goicoechea of Mexico are hosting a reception for the diplomatic community in Ottawa. There will be a briefing on the Oslo Process and latest developments on the road to a new treaty banning cluster bombs.
Paul Hannon and Nancy Ingram, Mines Action Canada

Chile – campaigners in Chile are launching a media campaign.
Pamela Velasquez Guzman, Istituto de Ecologia Politica

Colombia – Bogotá, campaigners are organising a public awareness campaign in Bogotá with rallies and a signature petition aimed at government ministries. They will also do media work.
Adriana Cortes Garcia, Colombia Sin Minas

Denmark – the Spot the Odd One Out advert campaign which launches an unprecedented joint appeal by the United Nations, CMC, and UK-based Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund in support of the ban treaty will be placed in a leading international Danish newspaper. The advert includes a message by DanChurchAid and the Danish Red Cross.
Eva Veble, DanChurch Aid

France – Le Monde will be publishing the Spot the Odd One Out advert, which launches an unprecedented joint appeal by the United Nations, CMC, and UK-based Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund in support of the ban treaty.

Germany - Berlin, Action Group Landmine.de are engaging in media work calling on the German government to change its policy and fully support the Oslo Process. Campaigners will also send their press release to all MPs.
Thomas Küchenmeister, Action Group Landmine.de

Ghana – Accra, campaigners are running a news commentary on the impact of cluster bombs calling on Ghana and other African countries to fully support the Oslo Process and ban the production, use and trade of the weapons.
Afi Yakubu and Theodora Williams, the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa

India – Delhi, campaigners are hosting a training session on cluster munitions which will launch a nation-wide advocacy initiative in all regions of India.
Dr Balakrishna Kurvey, Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament & Environmental Protection (IIDEP),

Iraq – Baghdad, campaigners are holding a symposium and have arranged a meeting with a representative from the Weapons Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Moaffak Alkhafaji, Iraqi Handicapped and Survivors’ Society

Japan – Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, public campaigning events are taking place in 3 cities across Japan where there will also be public film screenings calling on Japan to fully support the Oslo Process and a treaty banning cluster bombs.
Sachiko Morita, Peace boat mine abolition campaign

Kenya – Nairobi, campaigners are hosting a media breakfast to brief journalists on the problem of cluster munitions and the campaign against them, calling on the Kenyan government to join the Oslo Process and attend the Vienna conference. This will be followed by a stakeholders meeting.
Sylvie Bouko, Handicap International,Mereso Agina, Kenyan Campaign Against Landmines

Lebanon – Beirut, the General Secretariat of the Parliament in cooperation with the National Mine Risk Education Committee is organising an event in the national parliament opened by the Speaker of the House. The event will launch the opening of a photo exhibition on the problem of cluster bombs in Lebanon. There will be key note speeches by H.E. Dr. Michel Moussa, head of Human Rights Parliamentarian Committee and H.E. Mr. Abdel Latif Zein, head of International Affairs Parliamentarian Committee. A press Conference entitled “no to cluster bombs” will be held by concerned national and international non-governmental organizations. Campaigners will also place Make it Happen adverts in daily Lebanese newspapers and there will be a TV spot on the campaign. 
Habbouba Aoun, the Landmine Resource Centre Lebanon, Anissa Sabaayon, Norwegian People’s Aid; Dr Nasser AbouLteif, Vision Association for Rehabilitation, Development & Care.

Netherlands – campaigners are placing the Spot the Odd One Out advert in Dutch in 2 daily newspapers: Volkskrant and Dagblad De Pers.
Miriam Struyk and Roos Boer, IKV Pax Christi

New Zealand – Wellington, the New Zealand Cluster Munition Coalition are coordinating a speaking tour across New Zealand, on 5 November John Rodsted, filmmaker and activist, will speak at various embassies and high commissions in Wellington.
Mary Wareham, Oxfam

Pakistan – Peshawar, campaigners are organising a silhouette vigil and a rally outside the press club as well as engaging in media work. Campaigners are also organising a signature petition.
Raza Shah Khan, Sustainable Peace and Development Organisation

Poland – Warsaw, campaigners are launching a letter campaign targeting parliamentarians. The President of the Polish Red Cross is sending a letter to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence calling on Poland to fully support the Oslo Process. A letter will also be published in a leading national newspaper and the Polish Red Cross are launching a campaign on their website.
Lidia Szafaryn, Polish Red Cross

Serbia – Nis, Survivors of cluster bombs are hosting an event in Nis, an area heavily attacked by cluster bombs during the NATO intervention. Survivors will organise a street event in the centre of Nis and then a meeting at the civilian war victims association premises, followed by a press conference. Norwegian People’s Aid is organising a trip for journalists to cluster bomb affected areas.
Dejan Dikic, Civilian War Victims Association

Sierra Leone – Freetown, campaigners are holding a press conference with parliamentarian Hon, Ibrahim Sorie, an influential leading member of the ruling party, calling on the government to attend the Vienna Conference and to fully support the Oslo Process. A poster campaign is also being launched across Freetown near government Ministries. The Concorde Times is also publishing the Spot the Odd One Out advert.
Abu Bakarr Sheriff, Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms (SLANSA)

Spain – Barcelona, 5 Catalan organisations are launching a public manifesto announcing the work of their campaign in support of a ban on cluster munitions.
Fundació per la Pau, Lourdes Vergés

Switzerland – Geneva, campaigners are unveiling a plaque in 8 languages by the ‘Broken Chair’ at the Palais des Nations, which calls for a ban on cluster munitions. A media briefing with Councillor Mr John Dupraz, the Representative of Austria to the United Nations Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch; Mr Paul Vermeulen Director of Handicap International Switzerland and Administrative Councillor of the Town of Geneva Mrs Sandrine Salerno takes place at 14.00. In addition, 150 silhouettes are being placed around the fountains of the Palais de Nations, representing the child victims. A photo exhibition by Stuart Freedman on Lebanon called ‘Clearing for Peace’ is also being launched.
Paul Vermeulen, Handicap International Switzerland

Sweden – The Swedish network against cluster munitions (10 organisations) is organising rallies in around 20 cities in Sweden where symbolic actions will be performed (squares will be covered by fake cluster bombs) and names will be collected for the national petition calling on the government to get it of its Bobkapsel 90 cluster bomb, as well as to support the international Oslo Process. There will also be local and national press-releases and op-ed articles and a screening of Chris Anderson’s film ‘From Laos to Lebanon’.
Rolf Lindahl, Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society
http://www.motklustervapen.se/

Syria – Damascus, campaigners are issuing a press release and holding a public lecture on the impact of cluster munitions on civilian, in Damascus Cultural center.
Ghassan Shahrour, Arab Net for Research on LM&ERW

Tajikistan – Dushanbe, campaigners are hosting a roundtable on cluster munition contamination in Tajikistan with the Mine Action Centre, FSD and survivors of cluster bombs. Tajik newspapers will also print the Spot the Odd One Out advert, an unprecedented joint appeal by the United Nations, CMC, and UK-based Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund in support of the ban treaty.
Aziza Hakimova, Harmony of the World

Thailand – Bangkok, campaigners are holding a booth with information on the problems of clusters munitions at an event marking the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Landmine Ban Treaty. 
Fred Lubang, Non Violence International

Turkey – Istanbul, parliamentarian Ufuk Uras, will be making a speech on cluster munitions in the national parliament.  All parliamentarians are also being sent letters and the Human Rights Watch film ‘A weapon out of control’. They are also launching a webpage on cluster bombs and engaging in media work.
Muteber Öğreten, Initiative of a Mine-Free Turkey (IMFT)

Uganda – Kampala, campaigners are holding a workshop on cluster munitions for government representatives and civil society organisations, as well as engaging in media work.
Richard Mugisha, People With Disabilities

United States – Washington, Campaigners are organising a press conference with representative Jim Moran (VA) and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams to call on Congress to pass legislation that will protect civilians from the deadly effects of cluster munitions, and on the US government to join the effort to conclude an international cluster munition treaty in 2008. Lynn Bradach, mother of a US Marine killed by a submunition explosion while serving in Iraq, will join Moran and Williams at the event as well as Simon Conway, co-chair of the CMC and director of Landmine Action (UK). A public display of 100 silhouettes representing cluster munition casualties will be on display from with a backdrop of the US Capitol.
In Washington, DC, Lora Lumpe, US Campaign to Ban Landmines and Ed Kenny, Handicap International. In New York, Prairie Summer, UNA-USA’s Adopt-A-Minefield

United Kingdom - London, campaigners are constructing a giant wall that spells out ‘cluster bombs can be banned: Make It Happen’ where members of the public will be invited to hang up action cards asking the government to change its negligent cluster bomb policy by getting rid of its remaining 2 cluster bombs with immediate effect, and by taking a leading role in the Oslo Process. At the event a parliamentarian as well as campaigners from affected countries will speak about the problem of cluster bombs and the campaign. There will also be a photo exhibition by Alison Locke on Laos and Lebanon, and a screening of Chris Anderson’s film ‘From Laos to Lebanon’.
Portia Stratton, Landmine Action, Brenda Heard, Friends of Lebanon.

­Zambia – Lusaka, campaigners in Zambia are launching a media campaign.
Robert Mtonga, IIPNW Zambia.