In one of the very last acts of the Howard Government, Brendan Nelson bought $14 million worth of cluster bombs - weapons that contain mini-bombs, some of which remain unexploded on the ground for years awaiting innocent civilians. It’s the first time Australia has bought such a weapon, and one we would hope the new Government would categorically reject.
But right now, as the international community meets in Dublin to negotiate a treaty to ban these indiscriminate weapons, the new Australian Government is going out of its way to frustrate the process. The international Cluster Munition Coalition urges Australians to write urgently to Foreign Minister Stephen Smith to ask that Australia cease its attempts to insert loopholes in the treaty, in particular to exclude the bombs Australia bought last year; and to allow Australian troops to work with other forces who may be using cluster munitions (i.e., the US, which refuses to sign).
Here are 3 concrete actions you can take in support of the ban. It is very easy to e-mail Stephen Smith and other foreign ministers involved in the treaty negotiations using the Cluster Munition Coalition site.
Also, sign this GetUp! petition to Kevin Rudd. Thirdly, go to Avaaz — the international version of Australia’s famed online campaign organisation — to send an e-mail to Rudd as well.
Please take a few minutes to act on each of these campaigns by Friday 30 May when negotiations close.
