Unlike landmines, which are designed to maim rather than kill, cluster bombs contain more explosive power and metal fragmentation, making them more likely to kill and to cause multiple casualties.

In many countries accidents occur when people attempt to move unexploded ordnances out of economic necessity, curiosity or social responsibility. Civilians have to clear land for farming and housing or to prevent children from playing with them. In poor communities, it is common for civilians to salvage military debris like cluster munitions for their saleable scrap metal.

Their interesting shape, size, and sometimes, bright colour make cluster bombs especially attractive to children. In most contaminated countries, the majority of victims are children. 

Human Consequences

• People - mainly children - lose lives and limbs through cluster bombs every day.
  The fragments of exploding submunitions travel at high velocity. When they strike they set off people pressure waves within the body, which do horrific damage to soft tissue and organs. Even a single   fragment can rupture the spleen, or cause the intestines to explode. If a victim survives the accident, they may suffer from a variety of injuries including loss of limbs, burns, puncture wounds, ruptured eardrums, and blindness.
• A weapon more likely to kill than maim the victim
• A weapon designed to terrorise
• Psychological trauma for the victim and his/her family
• Orphaned children
• Increase in the number of disabled people in impoverished countries

Social consequences

• Injured and disabled, the victim cannot play an active role in society
• The victim may not be able to get married, have children or find a job, especially in traditional rural areas
• Loss of identity
• Stigma / Exclusion from the community
• An accident will also affect relatives of the victim both economically and psychologically

Financial consequences

• Loss or decrease of income
• Relatives of the victim may have to stop working to look after him / her
• Expensive medical treatment, which most people cannot afford. Either the victim doesn�t get treatment or the family have to sell all their possessions
• People starving as fields are impossible to use
• Affects the national economy: costs of rehabilitation services, fewer accessible fields (most developing countries rely heavily on revenues from agriculture)

Environmental consequences

• Pollution of fields, roads and water points
• Housing problems: new lands contaminated by cluster bombs or displaced people unable to return home
• Reduced access to services, such as hospitals, schools, electricity supply

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both signed!

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all signed and forwarded on to others.

T

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Signed and forwarded!

T

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Signed and Passed along!

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This is one evil we can surely do without. Why make something designed to kill children. This says more about the mentality of the people in Government that produce these things that all their election speeches. They say they care do do they heck! Time for regeme change nearer to home.

David

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All Signed.

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http://www.bandepleteduranium.org/modules.php?name=ePetitions&op=more_info&ePetitionId=3

International Petition to Ban Uranium Weapons

Some of us have already signed this one a while back.

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International Petition to Ban Uranium Weapons

Uranium weapons, often called 'depleted' uranium (DU) weapons, are manufactured from radioactive waste materials produced during the nuclear fuel chain and the production of nuclear weapons. They cause widespread and long lasting radioactive contamination of the environment. These weapon systems are radiologically and chemically toxic.

Many people - innocent civilians especially children, military veterans, industry workers - have illnesses and medical problems, which may be due to their exposure to 'depleted' uranium. In areas such as southern Iraq, where uranium munitions were used by the US and the UK, there have been reports of increases in cancers, leukemia and birth defects.

At least 18 countries possess these weapons, the use of which is contrary to existing humanitarian law.

We, the people, need to let governments and the United Nations know that these weapons can have no part in a humane and caring world. Every signature counts!

We call for your support to demand:

1. An immediate end to the use of uranium weapons.

2. Disclosure of all locations where uranium weapons have been used and immediate removal of the remnants and contaminated materials from the sites under strict control.

3. Health surveys of the 'depleted' uranium victims and environmental investigations at the affected sites.

4. Medical treatment and compensation for the 'depleted' uranium victims.

5. An end to the development, production, stockpiling, testing, trade of uranium weapons.

6. A Convention for a Total Ban on Uranium Weapons.

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