Cluster Bomb Olympics Highlight Global Treaty Negotiations
The Cluster Bomb Olympics focused on children, who are often the victims of cluster bombs
Two days before cluster bomb treaty negotiations began in Dublin, Ireland on May 19, individuals from heavily bombed countries joined with concerned citizens from the United States outside the White House to protest the U.S. government's decision to skip the talks.
The “1st Annual Cluster Bomb Olympics” featured Khamsavath Chanthavysouk from Laos: Walid Haidar, first secretary in the Lebanese Embassy, and Desu Damtew from Ethiopia—all countries affected by cluster bombs, as well as U.S. consumer advocate Ralph Nader. Participants from mine-affected countries and activists from the United States played a series of lawn games such as Bocce Bomb, a cluster bomb scavenger hunt, and a cluster bomb relay race. One of the participants slipped and broke her ankle while playing Hopscotch Minefield! “Today I broke my ankle while trying to avoid a cluster bomb," said Diana Ohlbaum. "But this is just a game, and I'll heal. In real life, people lose a limb or their life because of cluster bombs.”
“The issue is simple." said Sarah Holewinski, executive director of the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC), a group advocating for civilians caught in the crossfire of war. "The U.S. government should not use weapons that kill, maim and threaten civilians for days, months, years, even decades to come.”
More than 100 governments have gathered in Dublin to participate in the final round of treaty negotiations. The United States, which historically has been the largest producer, user and exporter of these weapons, has declined to join the negotiations and has actively lobbied allies to water down the treaty. Read a press release on the global negotiations.
Participants in the games and passersby signed a petition to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, calling on him to announce that the United States would never again use cluster bombs in areas that are normally inhabited by civilians.
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Find out more about cluster bombs and the global effort to ban them.