Swiss newspaper: Cluster munitions continue to claim lives of civilians in Yemen, Libya despite their ban

SANAA, July 28 (YPA) – The international banned cluster bombs are still used today, especially in Yemen and Libya despite their ban by the Convention, the Swiss “La Côte” newspaper reported on Monday.

The cluster munitions are the most treacherous weapons. There there are an agreement that bans their use, production, transportation and storage, but is still significantly reported in Yemen and Libya, Ms. Sommaruga and Mr. Maurer wrote in a joint column published Monday in the French-language newspaper Tamedia.

The Swiss-speaking French newspaper added: ” There will never be fair wars, but at least it should be possible to ban one of the world’s worst weapons, including cluster munitions, as they deform innocent people long after the conflict is over.”

According to the newspaper “La Côte”, many countries are still contaminated with these cluster weapons, which requires condemnation of any use of such weapons, anywhere, by anyone.”

However, the President of the Federation and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said  that “this deadly legacy of war is not inevitable” adding that  the Convention on Cluster Munitions, joined by 108 countries, made it possible to eliminate the storage of 1.5 million tons of cluster munitions.

The second Review Conference of the Convention, which will assess the progress made, will take place in Lausanne from 23 to 27 November. This year it is chaired by Switzerland.

E.M