More than 100 nations have adopted the Convention on Cluster Munitions and are due to sign it next week in Oslo.
However, several countries, including Singapore, China, the United States and Russia, will not be signing this convention.
This following article appeared in the Straits Times, Thurs, 27 Nov 2008, Page B6.
But it stops short of signing an international agreement on a ban
SINGAPORE yesterday announced an immediate halt to the export of cluster bombs, but stopped short of signing an international agreement to ban the munitions.
Dropped from planes or fired from artillery, cluster bombs explode in midair to randomly scatter hundreds of bomblets, some just 8cm in size, on the ground.
But many cluster bomblets can fail to explode, posing a danger to people trying to resume their lives after war.
According to the United Nations Development Programme, cluster munitions have caused more than 13,000 confirmed injuries and deaths around the world, the vast majority of them in Laos, Vietnam and Afghanistan. Children, who often think the brightly coloured munitions are toys, are among the most common victims.
That is why more than 100 nations have adopted the Convention on Cluster Munitions and are due to sign it in Oslo next week.
But several countries, including the United States, China and Russia, like Singapore, will not be signing the convention.
The agreement prohibits the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions, which the United Nations has said 'cause human suffering both during conflicts and long after they have ended'.
Explaining Singapore's position yesterday, the Foreign Affairs and Defence ministries said in a joint statement that a blanket ban on cluster munitions was impractical as many countries still see the need to use them for 'legitimate self-defence purposes'.
'Singapore remains committed to the responsible use of cluster munitions for self-defence and will continue to work with members of the international community to find a comprehensive solution to the humanitarian problems caused by its irresponsible and indiscriminate use,' the statement said.
It added that its immediate moratorium on exports of the bombs will ensure that they are not transferred to others who might use them irresponsibly and indiscriminately.
'Through this imposition, we help stem the proliferation of cluster munitions,' it said.
Singapore, which is said to be a producer of cluster munitions, took a similar position on anti-personnel landmines back in 1996.
While it did not sign the pact to destroy its arsenal of landmines back then, it imposed a ban on selling those without self-destruct mechanisms. The Republic then extended the sales ban to include all types of Singapore-made mines in 1998.
Likewise, other countries that did not sign the mine ban treaty then included the US, China, Russia, India and Pakistan.
'Singapore remains committed to the responsible use of cluster munitions for self-defence and will continue to work with members of the international community to find a comprehensive solution to the humanitarian problems caused by its irresponsible and indiscriminate use.'
Statement from Foreign Affairs and Defence ministries
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