Call to ban use of cluster munitions, land mines
KashmirWatch.com
Jan 14, 2009
Srinagar, Jan 14: Calling upon India and Pakistan to sign and ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) and the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel mines, various Kashmiri civil society organizations and peace activists today held a peaceful demonstration at Srinagar. The demonstration was organized by ActionAid, an international humanitarian and development agency, which was supported by several Kashmiri civil society groups.
ActionAid has called upon India and Pakistan to sign the Convention and the Treaty and ban production, stockpiling and use of cluster munitions and landmines.
Although both India and Pakistan are insisting that war is no option -- something which is re-assuring -- the kind of surcharged atmosphere prevailing in the region has evoked concern. A war would seriously dent the efforts of poverty eradication in the region and re-shifting of focus from development to further militarisation.
A demonstration was held also to highlight the danger of cluster munitions and landmines to civilian life in Jammu & Kashmir and the urgency for India and Pakistan to join the international community in banishing their use.
ActionAid believes that the poorest of these two countries and the vulnerable civilians in Jammu & Kashmir could be the worst sufferers. It is well known that children are the worst sufferers of the cluster munitions and landmines, as seen in the wars in Laos, Vietnam, Lebanon, etc.
There is particular concern among the civil society in Jammu & Kashmir since incidentally India and Pakistan have the largest army deployments in the State in close proximity to civilian habitations.
As of 8 December 2008, 94 states /countries have signed the CCM. Several major producers of cluster munitions, including the United States, Russia, China, India, Pakistan and Brazil have not signed the Convention.