URGENT – Cluster Munitions Campaign

Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA is a member of the Cluster Munitions Coalition. This international campaign has successfully lobbied the United Nations to introduce a UN Convention which banned the use of cluster bombs or munitions.

Cluster Munitions Coalition Australia urges supporters to tell the Senate to fix the bill!

Australia has signed the Convention, but is now about to ratify this Convention by introducing legislation into Parliament.

Unfortunately, the proposed Australian legislation is highly deficient for two reasons:

• Interoperability. This means that under our proposed legislation, Australian troops could help the military from another country that has not signed the Convention to use or distribute cluster munitions.
• Stockpiling in Australia. Our proposed legislation would allow countries who refuse to sign or ratify the Convention to stockpile cluster munitions here in Australia for their use in our region.

We are asking Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA supporters to urgently take action to combat this problematic ratification and implementation legislation currently tabled in the Australian senate.

What's happening?

The Australian Senate is scheduled to debate and approve proposed legislation starting Monday 20 August that would enact the Convention on Cluster Munitions and enable Australia to ratify and become a State Party to the Convention.

Why is it a problem?

Key sections of the draft text of the Australian bill reflect neither the spirit nor the letter of the Convention. As currently worded, the legislation allows Australian troops to directly and actively assist states not party to the Convention to use cluster munitions. It also explicitly allows states not party to stockpile cluster munitions on Australian soil and permits them to transit cluster munitions through Australian ports and airspace.

What needs to happen?

The Senate should significantly revise those sections in order to ensure that Australia will live up to its legal and humanitarian commitments. Already more than two-dozen submissions were made to the Senate calling for legislation to be revised and improved, but no changes have been made. The legislation is now back on the Senate agenda and it is our last chance to push the government to FIX THE BILL. But time is short as it is being debated on Monday 20th September. If adopted, this bill will become law. Further detail of CMC's concerns on the proposed Australian legislation can be found here: http://bit.ly/OAVyEG

What can you do?

1. PHONE AND EMAIL ACTION

a. Your own Member of Parliament. Tell them to speak to Senators about your concerns.

b. Senator Nicola Roxon / Phone. +61 2 6277 7300 / Email: attorney@ag.gov.au

c. Senator the Hon Bob Carr / Phone: +61 2 6277 7500 / Fax: +61 2 6273 4112 / Email: bob.carr@aph.gov.au / Twitter: @bobjcarr

d. Senator Ann McEwen / Phone: +61 2 6277 3434 / Fax: +61 2 6277 3425 / Email: senator.mcewen@aph.gov.au

e. Senator Jacinta Collins / Phone: +61 2 6277 3115 / Email: jacinta.collins@aph.gov.au /

2. ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA ACTION

The Cluster Munitions Coalition Australia has prepared a number of great images with great and different slogans that you can use and post on your Facebook to share with your network. It is fantastic if you happen to have some Australian diplomats, politicians or journalists as Facebook friends, so share with them! You can add a link to the CMC Australia web story: http://bit.ly/Q6JxBo or other relevant stories online so people can get more information about the problem.

Stay up-to-date with the campaign through Cluster Munitions Coalition Australia on Facebook and on Twitter (@CMCAustralia).

© Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA 2003.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 21-Aug-2012 11:49:34 EST
This page: http://apheda.org.au/news/1345418951_11133.html