Survivor Corps Criticizes use of Cluster Munitions in Russia Georgia Conflict

September 1, 2008—On August 15, 2008, Russia dropped cluster bombs on civilian areas in the neighboring country of Georgia, killing at least 14 civilians and wounding dozens more. This weekend, the Georgian government admitted to having dropped cluster bombs in certain locations between the Roki tunnel and Dzara road. This area links Georgia's South Ossetia with North Ossetia, which is Russian territory. Georgia claims not to have dropped any cluster bombs in civilian areas.

On August 7, 2008, Russia began an armed offensive against Georgia over South Ossetia, a region long recognized as part of Georgia but home to an ethnic minority with close ties to Russia.

Keti Javakhishvili, a twenty-five year-old woman in Gori, Georgia, barely survived a cluster bomb attack. She was walking with neighbors to get bread when the cluster bombs fell. “I heard an explosion and dropped to the ground,” she told Human Rights Watch researchers from her hospital bed. Javakhishvili suffered massive trauma to her liver, stomach, and intestines, as well as shock due to severe blood loss. Also among the civilians killed an injured in the attacks were Dutch journalist Stan Storimans and Israeli journalist Zadok Yehezheli.

In May of 2008, more than 107 nations negotiated a treaty banning cluster bombs. It is estimated that 80 percent of cluster bomb victims worldwide are civilians. Each cluster munition releases tens or hundreds of smaller "bomlets" over a wide area, killing indiscriminately. Many of the bomblets do not explode on impact, but instead become defacto landmines that continue to kill and maim civilians and cause economic devastation for years to come. Survivors often suffer long-terms disabilities as a result of their injuries, which lead to economic hardship and social isolation. Survivor Corps led the charge to include revolutionary provisions in the treaty requiring governments to assist survivors of cluster bombs.

“Survivors around the world are united in calling for an end to this blatant disregard for human life. We hope that the tragedy in Georgia and Russia prompts countries to adopt the UN Convention banning cluster munitions," says Ken Rutherford of Survivor Corps.

Use of cluster munitions in the current Russia Georgia conflict represents the first known use of the weapon since 2006, when they were used during the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Reactions to that conflict initiated an international movement to ban cluster munitions. The resulting UN treaty, negotiated in May of 2008, will open for signatures in December of this year.

YOU CAN HELP
Join others from around the world by signing the People’s Treaty to say that YOU want to ban cluster bombs forever. Your Senators must tell the military to stop using cluster bombs, and your Senators like hearing from people like you! Tell your Senators to ban cluster bombs.

WHAT ARE CLUSTER BOMBS?
Cluster munitions are large weapons which are deployed from the air and from the ground and release dozens or hundreds of smaller submunitions. Submunitions released by air-dropped cluster bombs are most often called “bomblets,” while those delivered from the ground by artillery or rockets are usually referred to as “grenades.”

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH THIS WEAPON?
Air-dropped or ground-launched, they cause two major humanitarian problems and risks to civilians. First, their widespread dispersal means they cannot distinguish between military targets and civilians so the humanitarian impact can be extreme, especially when the weapon is used in or near populated areas.
Many submunitions fail to detonate on impact and become de facto antipersonnel mines killing and maiming people long after the conflict has ended. These duds are more lethal than antipersonnel mines; incidents involving submunition duds are much more likely to cause death than injury.