2018 Cluster Munition Monitor released

Photo: unexploded Rockeye cluster bomblets embedded in a tarmac road in northeastern Kuwait. Photo credit: Johnny Saunderson, Wikimedia Commons

The 2018 Cluster Munition Monitor was released today and it contains some good news about how state parties are complying with the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

The report says no state party has used, produced, transferred or stockpiled cluster munitions. 

The bad news, however, is that countries that have not signed the treaty have used them – in Syria (by Syrian government forces) and in Yemen (by Saudi Arabia led coalition of states).

At least 289 new cluster munition casualties were recorded in the last year. Globally, 99 per cent of recorded casualties were civilian, according to the report.

“Cluster munitions pose extreme danger to civilians at the time of use, as the conflicts in Syria and Yemen illustrate, but cluster munition remnants also pose significant danger to civilians long after conflict has ended, as evidence from Lao PDR and other countries show,” said Jeff Abramson, coordinator of the report, in a press release. “The need is acute in Syria and other countries where cluster munitions are used to quickly identify and clear contaminated area that will otherwise threaten vulnerable civilians, especially children, for years and even decades to come,” Mr. Abramson added. 

Canada is a state party to the CCM and is compliant with its legal obligations, however it could do more.

Paul Hannon, executive director of the Ottawa-based NGO, Mines Action Canada, wants the country to return to being a top five donor again.

“This will require a mine action strategy so that the various funding and policy desks in Global Affairs Canada and Development Canada will have a clearer understanding of Canada’s priorities and long term goals.”

Mr. Hannon noted that more details about funding will be reported in the 2018 Landmine Monitor when it is released in November. 

While money matters, it is not the only concern.

“Canada needs to be more vocal and also play a leadership role within the treaty implementation structure,” said Mr. Hannon. “Canada does not condemn new use (of cluster bombs) enough and there are various treaty committees in which it can play an important diplomatic role in support of the implementation and universalization of the CCM.”

Mr. Hannon is concerned that there remain weaknesses in Canada’s domestic implementation legislation particularly on joint operations (with military allies) and investment in cluster munitions producers. 

“When the Liberals were in opposition to the previous Conservative government they fought hard for amendments to this legislation so it should be easy for the Trudeau government to take advantage of that work and propose new amendments,” said Mr. Hannon.

To date, 103 countries have acceded to the CCM. To see if your country has signed up, click here.