Published on Thursday, June 26th, 2008
Soroptimists Welcome New Cluster Munitions Treaty
As longterm campaigners for the abolition of landmines and cluster munitions, Soroptimists gave a warm welcome to the historic treaty adopted by over 100 countries in Dublin on 30 May, 2008.
Liz Archer, who works closely with the Cluster Munitions Coalition on behalf of SIGBI, welcomed the announcement: “Soroptimist International has supported survivors of cluster bomb attacks for many years. This landmark treaty is very welcome news and a signal that the message we have been campaigning about is getting through. We hope the treaty will act as a wake-up call to other countries as the pressure rises for a global ban on these horrific weapons which cause so much unnecessary suffering around the world.”
This document bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of all existing and future cluster bombs. To keep pressure on governments and to ensure that the treaty enters into force, campaigners including members of Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland have launched the People’s Treaty. “The adoption of this treaty has intensified the stigma attached to cluster bombs. It’s up to the countries to turn the text into reality,” said Thomas Nash, coordinator of the Cluster Munition Coalition.
Members of SIGBI have actively engaged in the lobbying campaign led by the Cluster Munitions Coalition by gathering thousands of signatures to petitions urging governments to sign up to the treaty to ban all cluster munitions. The organisation has also played a major role behind the scenes at the international conferences leading up to this latest one in Dublin and will be in Oslo in December when the Treaty opens for signing.