Handicap International urges Brazil to join the Oslo process

Handicap International
San Jose, Costa Rica
Thursday, 6 September 2007

Handicap International considers the regional conference on cluster munitions held in Costa Rica on 4-5 September as a positive step towards an international ban on cluster munitions. The conference attended by 18 Latin American countries strengthened the Oslo process, now supported by 17 States in this region and 80 worldwide.

Cuba is the only country that did not accept the invitation of Costa Rica, the host government, to participate in this conference. For the first time, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Uruguay attended an international conference on cluster munitions. The four countries expressed their full support for the Oslo process. Argentina firmly stated that it does not produce or stockpile cluster munitions, while Chile declared that it does not produce and will not do so in the future.

Cluster munitions were never used in Latin America (except for the Falklands). In an effort to remain so, the region is working towards becoming a cluster munitions free zone.

Brazil was the only participating country that expressed reluctance towards in joining the Oslo process. Yet, its presence demonstrated that it is difficult for States to stay away from a process for which there is such a growing interest within the international community. Handicap International calls on Brazil to participate in the Vienna Conference on Cluster Munitions, joining the enthusiastic efforts of 17 other Latin American countries to end the suffering caused by cluster munitions.

Participants in this conference expressed their support for the idea that cluster munitions have intrinsic characteristics that result in a large number of civilian casualties during and long time after the conflict, agreeing on the fact that the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of the weapon as such should be prohibited. Except for Brazil, all countries agreed that the only viable option to achieve this goal is through a new international treaty within the Oslo process.

Handicap International presented its publication “Circle of Impact: Fatal Footprint of Cluster Munitions on People and Communities”, the report on the devastating impact of cluster munitions not only on individuals, but also on entire communities in 25 countries or territories.
Handicap International called on States to make a strong commitment to victim assistance throughout this process, and to ensure that victim assistance provisions in a treaty banning cluster munitions respond to the needs and rights of survivors, their families and affected communities.

The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) organized a regional forum on cluster munitions attended by 30 participants from regional NGOs and international organizations.

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