Ban cluster bombs – West Midlands Euro-MP

3.06.16pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 2nd Jun 2003

Thousands of cluster bomblets scatter the Iraqi landscape, endangering civilians and children.

Liz Lynne, West Midlands Liberal Democrat Euro-MP and Vice Chair of the European Parliament's All Party Disability Intergroup, has called on the UK Government to ban its use of cluster bombs following the war in Iraq.

Liz said:

"This government prided itself in taking the lead in a worldwide ban on landmines. Yet to all intents and purposes, unexploded cluster bomblets amount to the same thing. Stepping on either amounts to severe injury, permanent disability and even death."

"Promising a post-conflict clean up operation was not deemed a good enough argument against banning landmines, and it remains unsatisfactory in the case of cluster bombs. Large areas surrounding the town of Basra will remain no-go areas for years to come and no clean up operation can guarantee to be totally effective.

"In short, whatever short term military advantage cluster bombs give the military is more than outweighed by the long term misery they cause. Creating more disabled people will do nothing to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people."

Liz Lynne has written a report on behalf of the European Parliament calling for the UN to adopt a Convention on the Rights of Disabled People.