The Safe Path

Background

The use of cluster munitions across the world has proven to cause unacceptable human suffering during and long after conflicts have ended. Twenty-nine countries and territories around the world are affected by cluster munitions, the majority of whom are developing nations. The Lao People's Democratic Republic is the most cluster munition affected country in the world and carries the unenviable title of being the most bombed country per capita in the world. During the Indochina conflict (1964-1973) over 260 million cluster submunitions were dropped on Lao. With an average failure rate of 30 percent, some 80 million submunitions are estimated to have been left unexploded and spread across the eastern provinces at the end of the war. More than three decades after the cluster munitions were deployed over Lao, the remaining submunitions continue to injure and kill civilians, restrict access to land, and disrupt social and economic developments.

Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Oslo Process

The Oslo Process formally began in Oslo, Norway in February 2007 with a meeting of countries to discuss the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions. Forty-six of the attending countries committed to the “Oslo Declaration”, agreeing to conclude by 2008 a new international legally binding instrument that will prohibit cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians.

Subsequent international meetings in Lima, Vienna, Wellington and Dublin were held with the latter concluding the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) adopted by one hundred and seven countries.

The Cluster Munition Convention will be open for signature on December 3, 2008 in Oslo, Norway.

Download the Convention on Cluster Munitions

• English version
• French version
• Spanish version
• Lao version