Kenya urged to support ban on cluster munitions.

Written By:Nicholas Kigondu 
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
November 05, 2007

Kenya has been challenged to support the ongoing diplomatic discussions on an international ban treaty on cluster munitions. 

Kenya Coalition Against Landmines coordinator Mereso Agina says the country's support for the process would reaffirm its contribution to protecting civilians and promoting security.

Agina said currently, there lacks provisions in international laws that specifically address the landmine problem and their devastating effects on civilians. 

"We have military training grounds so occasionally we will have ERWs, or we will have few clusters. Compensation is not the issue here," Mereso pointed out.

"I think it is the total ban of these weapons so that forever they will not cause problems for those people living in Samburu, Maralal and all those areas. The Military should also be denied the use of that environment," she urged.

Speaking at the same function, Handicap International Regional Technical Advisor in Mine Risk Education Sylvie Bouko, said civilians were mostly affected by the unexploded bombs.

She called on Kenya to support the international Oslo Process and Treaty banning cluster bombs.

"We are trying to mobilize governments to take part in the Oslo process, which is actually trying to have an international treaty to ban cluster ammunitions. Kenya has had great leadership role in the international campaigns to ban landmines," Bouko said.

Cluster munitions are dangerous weapons that can disperse up to several hundred smaller sub-munitions, sometimes referred to as "bomblets", over wide areas.

The clusters have indiscriminate, wide area effects that kill and injure civilians during and after attacks, and they leave severe and lasting humanitarian and development consequences from large quantities of post conflict and unexploded ordinances.

Bouko observed that civilians formed the majority of those affected by unexploded munitions, with children representing at least 27 percent of cluster munitions accidents.

They were speaking on Monday during the global action day on cluster arms ban at a Nairobi hotel.