Military Industrial Complex

March 11, 2009
Arn's News, Phila.
Action Alert,

Cluster Bombs still maiming and killing civilians!
Innocent Men, Women and Children slaughtered in Sri Lanka.
International Treaty Needed! U.S. Can still sign on March 18, 2009 in N.Y.
Help Stop the Maiming and Killing!
U.S. Largest Maker of Cluster Bombs in the World! Holds 5,500,000 of them.

Current News: Yahoo Alerts
The Post-Standard Tue, 10 Mar 2009
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Thousands of civilians in Serbia remain in danger
from unexploded cluster bombs left over from the 1999 NATO bombing of the country,
according to a new report released Tuesday by a humanitarian aid group.

BBC News Tue, 10 Mar 2009
Funds for clearing cluster bombs in Lebanon dry up

TamilNet Tue, 10 Mar 2009
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells fitted with cluster munitions and fire-bombs
into civilian 'safety zone' killing at least 129 civilians between 2:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
on Tuesday. Around 200 civilians were wounded. 300 tarpaulin huts burned down to ashes
in Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fired rockets. The medical store at Valaignarmadam
has sustained damage and the son of a ...

Global TV Regina Tue, 10 Mar 2009
UNITED NATIONS - Canada on Wednesday became part of the first global treaty banning
cluster bombs, joining more than 100 countries at a signing ceremony in Oslo.
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U.S. NEEDED TO to SIGN LANDMINE AND CLUSTER BOMB TREATIES
ON MARCH 18, THE UNITED NATIONS

ACTION ALERT
CALL OR WRITE to the PRESIDENT, CONGRESS, AMBASSADOR, OTHERS

President Barack Obama, whitehouse.gov (e-mail), (202) 456-1111
Sen. Patrick Leahy, (202) 224-4242, senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov
Sen. Dianna Feinstein, (202) 224-3841, Feinstein.Senate.Gov (e-mail)
Rep. Jim McGovern, (202) 225-6101, McGovern.house.gov (e-mail local)
Rep. Barney Frank, (202) 225-5931, house.gov/Frank (e-mail local)
Susan Rice, Ambassador to United Nations, (212) 415-4050, usunnewyork.usmission.gov http://www.un.org/members/missions.shtml,
for U.S. Mission, Susan Rice, Ambassador to the United Nations
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BACKGROUND:
On Wednesday 18 March the United Nations is hosting an event on the Convention
on Cluster Munitions where countries are being invited to sign and / or deposit their
instruments of ratification. This is a perfect opportunity to pressure states to take these
formal steps and to ask them to give an update on measures they are taking nationally.

It is also an opportunity for government officials to get an update on progress and next steps
for the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

CLUSTER MUNITIONS CONVENTION (CMC)
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/campaign-resources/

Opportunity to sign and ratify the Convention in New York: 18 March 2009
the signing will take place in the UN Treaty Section's Signature Room S-3205,
on the 32nd Floor of the UN Secretariat Building in New York

Also: UN Treaty Office, Sagine Damas is the contact for scheduling an appointment.
UN treaty Section, Office of Legal Affairs, UN Headquarters, New York
Telephone: 1 212 963-5047, Fax 1 212 963-3693
e-mail: treaty@un.org; Chief: Ms. Annebeth Rosenboom, room 3220E
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From: Cluster Munitions Coalition, Feb.23,2009
http://stopclustermunitions.org/
26 Ratifications needed!

The following is the Note Verbal invitation on the event which has been sent to all UN
permanent missions in New York:

UN Note Verbale, 5 March 2009
There has been a natural lull in activities post-Oslo, but now we need to boost the momentum
on the Convention. With only one further signature and no further ratifications since Oslo,
we have a big job to do but we know with everyone’s help we can do it. Make sure that your
government is there!

TAKE ACTION
If your government has NOT YET SIGNED the Convention, encourage them to sign
in New York on 18 March under the spotlight of other governments, campaigners,
UN representatives and the media.

* Send the note verbale invitation, along with a copy of the ‘How to sign the Convention’ guide
prepared by the CMC to the relevant government officials in capital as well as your country’s
UN mission in New York.

* If you would like a supporting letter from the CMC, or need additional support and help
encouraging your government to sign, please contact me.

* States must complete and send back a copy of the ‘full powers’ document that can only
be signed by the Foreign Minister or Head of State/ Government nominating and authorising
one or more representatives (preferably the ambassador AND deputy permanent representative
at their mission in New York) to sign the Convention. This must be sent to the UN treaty section
(contact details and a model full powers document are in the ‘How to Sign the Convention’ guide).

If your government is able to complete its RATIFICATION procedure in the next couple of weeks
please encourage officials to deposit the ratification instrument at this event on 18 March.

* Send the invitation, the ‘How to ratify the Convention’ and the ICRC’s Ratification Toolkit guide
to the relevant government officials in capital and to your country’s UN mission in New York.

* If you would like a supporting letter from the CMC, or need additional support and help encouraging
your government to ratify on 18 March please contact Laura (laura@stopclustermunitions.org).

* States can use the model instrument of ratification which can be found in the ICRC Ratification
Toolkit and must be signed by the Head of State / Government or Foreign Minister.

Even if your country is not signing or ratifying at this event, encourage a representative from your
country’s UN mission in New York to attend the event.

This is also an opportunity for participating states to give an update and hear what other actions
are taking place around the world on this Convention. States should give an update on:
1. Steps they are taking to sign, ratify and/or implement the Convention (such as commencing
stockpile destruction, nominating a victim assistance focal point, etc.);
2. Any initiatives they are undertaking to host a national or regional event on the Convention
and/or encourage other states to join the Convention.

Contact Information:
Contacts to UN missions are here:
http://www.un.org/members/missions.shtml
Participating states should RSVP to: Gustavo Laurie, UN Mine Action Service, laurie@un.org
If your government is signing or ratifying the Convention at this event they must also contact
the UN Treaty Office with a copy of the ‘full powers’ or ‘instrument of ratification’.
Contact: Holbrook@un.org

Also: UN Treaty Office, Sagine Damas is the contact for scheduling an appointment.
UN treaty Section, Office of Legal Affairs, UN Headquarters, New York
Telephone: 1 212 963-5047, Fax 1 212 963-3693
e-mail: treaty@un.org;
Chief: Ms. Annebeth Rosenboom, room 3220E
the signing will take place in the UN Treaty Section's Signature Room S-3205,
on the 32nd Floor of the UN Secretariat Building in New York

RESOURCES
* How to sign the Convention (including model ‘full powers’)
* How to ratify the Convention
* ICRC Ratification Toolkit (including model instrument of ratification)
* Template letter encouraging governments to sign and / or ratify on March 18
These are all available on our website, along with other lobbying and campaigning tools:
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/campaign-resources/

Please raise this event with your contacts in government and let us know whether your
government is likely to sign, ratify or otherwise attend on 18 March in New York.

Please note that CMC does not have any funding to support the participation of campaigners
to this event unfortunately. If you are able to attend the event with your own funding you are
of course most welcome. Also there will not be a sponsorship scheme for governments to
travel to New York, instead governments should be represented through their
missions in New York.

Arn Specter
Arn's News
P.O.Box 5857,Phila.Pa. 19128
(215) 843-1850
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