Stop the fence sitting in cluster bomb use

Context:-As part of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict the United States which has been supplying weapons and providing financial support to Ukraine has recently announced that it is going to supply cluster munitions to be used against Russian aggression,so this has triggered a major controversy regularly the usage of cluster bombs in conflict.

Cluster munitions:-

• Cluster munitions or cluster bombs essentially release multiple bomblets or multiple exclusive submunitions into the air.
• It is mounted on a large congestor that can be fired from a ground-based artillery gun or can be released directly into the air via a fighter jet.
• A cluster bombs once it opens up it releases multiple bomblets.
• There are cluster bombs that will be released and then spread out over a large area.
• So bombing in entirer area through such a bomb is also referred to as carpet bombing because the entire region is become bombed by using the cluster munition which releases tiny bomblets that spread out and target the entire region.

Impacts of cluster munitions:-

•  Usage of such weapons is highly controversial, objectionable and considered illegal under international law.Because such bombs cause indiscriminate damage.
• They were not targeting only military sites and combats they will even end up killing and injuring hundreds and thousands of civilians which is a case of disproportionate use of force.
• Many bomblets do not blow up instantly and remain dormant for several years in the battle field.This inactive bomblets act as precarious landmines,passing a grave threat to the civilian population for a long time because of the high dud rate.
• Some of the bomblets just land on the ground without exploid  and these bomblets might explode in the future thus affecting a permanent threat to the civilian population.

It  is documented that Russia is already using such cluster bombs.Russia has attacked Ukrainian cities and hundreds of civilians have already been killed but there is no justification to use cluster bombs from the other sides as well.

Now Ukraine is deploying cluster bombs by procuring them from the United States heightens the risk in this conflict.

 Stop to fence sitting in duster bomb use :-

• So this right is coming for complete elimination of these cluster munitions that have been used in conflict at least since the second world war.
• According to the cluster munition skill affected countries 56000 to 86000 people have died.

Convention on Cluster Munition (CCM)

• That prohibits the usage of cluster bombs and also prohibits the production of bomb ,storage , transfer and stockpiling.
• The convention creates a framework in between countries to support victim assistance, clearance of contaminated sites,risk education and stockpile destruction.
• It was adapted in 2008 in Dublin and came  into force in 2010.
• As per latest data at least until April 2023,a total of 124 states are committed to the goal of the convention. Around 112 states that have ratified it,and 12 states that have signed the convention but not yet ratified it .
• The convention has a lot of global support but however it’s not universally adopted meaning there are many major military power countries that are not signed for this convention. Countries like the US, Russia,China, India,Israel,and Ukraine have not signed it.

Customary International Law(CIL):-

The prohibition on cluster bombs gets covered as part of customary international law and there becomes the legal international obligation for every country irrespective whether they were signed or not.

Conclusion:-

• Supplying cluster bombs to any country is an irresponsible act.
• As envisaged in the CCM, the use, possession and transfer or supply of cluster bombs should be universally banned.
• All the UN member states should have access to CCM and cluster bombs should be eradicated from the earth.

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