Reacting to the Lithuanian parliament’s decision to withdraw from the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director of Research in Europe, emphasized the repercussions of this move.
Why is Lithuania withdrawing from the Convention on Cluster Munitions seen as disastrous?
- The decision abandons the global consensus aimed at minimizing civilian harm during armed conflict.
- It undermines decades of progress on eliminating the production, transfer, and use of inherently indiscriminate weapons.
- Cluster munitions are considered inherently indiscriminate weapons posing a grave threat to civilian lives long after conflicts end.
What are the consequences of using cluster munitions?
- Many systems have an extraordinarily high ‘dud’ rate, up to 20%, contaminating large areas with unexploded ordnance for years or even decades.
- Customary international humanitarian law prohibits the use of inherently indiscriminate weapons.
Why must Lithuania reconsider its decision?
- The withdrawal undermines the protection of civilians and the progress made by the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
- It is crucial for Lithuania to continue its active support for the convention designed to ensure civilian safety.
The Convention on Cluster Munitions, active since August 2010 with 112 states parties and 12 signatories, bans the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of cluster munitions. Lithuania’s decision marks a concerning development as it could put civilian lives at risk.
Cluster munitions, launched by rockets, artillery, or air-dropped containers, scatter ordnance over wide areas, creating de facto minefields. Unexploded munitions continue to pose a threat for years, affecting regions profoundly.
Source: www.amnesty.org