Paul Amoru
11 October 2008
Kampala — The Conference on Cluster bombs ended in Kampala last week with representatives of 42 African governments adopting a resolution denouncing the use and manufacture of cluster bombs across the world.
All the countries signed a resolution, named the Kampala Action Plan, in which they agreed, among other things, to ensure that, "prior to the Oslo Signing Conference, all African states should publicly declare their intention to sign the Convention..."
"The Convention on cluster munitions should be signed by representatives of all African states at the Oslo Signing Conference on December 3 to demonstrate the continent's strong commitment to eradicate cluster munitions," reads the Kampala Action Plan.
The Convention contains strong humanitarian provisions requiring clearance of cluster munition remnants and assistance to survivors.
Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness Tarsis Kabwegyere, who stood in for President Museveni, read the declaration.
"As the host, we will deliver a copy of the Kampala Action Plan to all the 53 African countries reminding them to go to Oslo and sign this Convention," Prof. Kabwegyere told Saturday Monitor in an interview.
The conference ended without a clear position from some countries with only 28 countries making firm commitments to sign the Convention.
The action plan will be sent to countries, which failed to attend the Kampala conference. "Is it possible to punish countries that will not turn up to sign this treaty in Oslo? Is it anti-diplomatic?" the minister asked.
"Why shouldn't all of us be there (Oslo), and show the rest of the world that we want an end to these cluster bombs?"
Organisers of the conference did not publicly criticise the decision by the other 14 states not to make their position clear. But the wavering sent mixed signals about Africa's commitment to banning the weapon with only two months left before the December convention.
Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia were absent. Libya was the only North African state to participate in the Kampala Conference but did not make a public statement indicating their support for the cluster munition ban.
The decision by the North African countries not to turn up at all irked organisers. "We're disappointed that North African states did not take up the invitation to participate in this Africa-wide event," said Ayman Sorour of Protection, a member of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC), an international network of campaigners that includes cluster bomb survivors.
Mr Sorour extended an Olive branch to north African states saying, "it's not too late to join this important Convention."
The conference attracted cluster bomb survivors from Uganda, southern Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia and Rwanda among others who shared their devastating experiences.
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