[Peacectr_list] This Little Card Can Change The Future For Thousands - Act Today to Ban Cluster Bombs
Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine
info at peacectr.org
Tue Dec 11 16:15:06 UTC 2007
From: "mary trotochaud" <mtrotochaud at earthlink.net>
To: "mtrotochaud" <mtrotochaud at earthlink.net>
THIS LITTLE CARD CAN CHANGE THE FUTURE FOR THOUSANDS
ACT TODAY TO BAN CLUSTER BOMBS
As you send out cards of peace during this
holiday season, take the time to send this card
of hope to your senators and representatives
asking them to cosponsor S.594/H.R.1755
1. Print out this holiday postcard:
<http://www.fcnl.org/pdfs/weapons/clusters-holiday-card-2007.pdf>http://www.fcnl.org/pdfs/weapons/clusters-holiday-card-2007.pdf
on card stock, which you can find at any copy
shop. You'll need to print the cards double
sided. Cut the cards apart; there are 4 on every
sheet. (We will print copies at the Peace &
Justice Center in Bangor , if you want us to send
you some, please let us know)
2. Sign the postcard, including your return
address, or insert it into one of your own
holiday greeting cards. Add a sentence or two of
your own to personalize the message.
3. Find the district office addresses of your
senators and representatives: Addresses below or
at
<http://capwiz.com/fconl/directory/congdir.tt>http://capwiz.com/fconl/directory/congdir.tt
(We recommend sending to the district offices
since senators will be home for the holidays.)
4. Make extra cards to distribute to your
family, friends, faith community, peace vigil and
organizations and ask them to send them to their
senators and representatives as well.
Thanks to your calls, Cluster Bombs are an issue to our members of congress.
Over the past month, our Maine congressional
delegation has heard the calls you have made.
Mainers placed the highest number of calls per
capita during last monthís national call in. In
recent visits to their offices, congressional
staffers told us that S.594/H.R.1755 is
definitely on their desks for consideration. But
our senators and representatives have not stepped
forward to take leadership on this issue by
cosponsoring S.594/HR. 1755
Now is the time to keep the pressure on ñ Send a card ñ for the children.
December is a perfect time to continue this
effort and to encourage more people to take one
small step to eliminate this most inhumane of
weapons. Along with Friends Committee on National
Legislation, the Maine Campaign to Ban Cluster
Bombs has organized a holiday card campaign,
highlighting the impact of cluster bombs on
children. Building on the success we had with the
recent call-in day, we believe that this holiday
card campaign will help humanize this issue for
senators, representatives and their staffs.
Simply copy the double-sided template on
cardstock, distribute at your church or meeting,
and ask people to mail as a holiday postcard or
Christmas card enclosure to their senators. Go to
<http://www.banclusterbombs.org/>www.banclusterbombs.org
for an electronic template and for more
information. For an organizing packet of cards
and information on this campaign, contact Mary
Trotochaud at 207-342-2251 or
<mailto:mtrotochaud at earthlink.net>mtrotochaud at earthlink.net
Background Update
Representatives of 130 countries met in Vienna
from December 5-8 to negotiate a global ban on
cluster bombs. With two thirds of the worldís
nations in attendance, this was the largest of
several international gatherings which are part
of a Norwegian initiative launched in February
when states agreed to conclude a new
international ban treaty to be signed by 2008.
Eighty three have committed to an international
treaty to ban cluster bombs; this effort is
globally fast tracked.
Before this conference began, U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: "I have on
several occasions made known my views that the
inhumane impact of these weapons requires urgent
action. I have urged Member States to prohibit
cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to
civilians, and to take domestic measures to
freeze the use and transfer of all cluster
munitions until a new legal instrument is adopted
... These are high humanitarian, human rights and
developmental stakes.î
The United States is not participating in this
process, but the US Congress can do something to
put US policy in line with the rest of the world
by passing The Cluster Munitions Civilian
Protection Act of 2007, S.594 and H.R.1755.
The U.S. is the worldís leading manufacturer,
exporter and user of cluster bombs. The U.S.
military stockpiles an estimated one billion
cluster sub munitions. Our military has used
these weapons three times in the last 10
yearsókilling civilians in each instance. Bombs
the U.S. dropped on Laos 40 years ago are still
killing today. ìAs a people, as a country, we
are so much better than this,î said Lynn Bradach
referring to the United States use and sale of
cluster bombs. ìPlease help me celebrate my
sonís life by saving others.î Her son Travis
was killed in July 2003 while clearing unexploded
U.S. cluster sub munitions from an Iraqi
battlefield.
Our best avenue to restrict and eventually
eliminate cluster bomb production, use and export
is S. 594 and its companion bill in the House,
H.R. 1755 - the Cluster Munitions Civilian
Protection Act. While the bill is not an
outright ban, it would function as a de facto
ban. The bill would prohibit the use of cluster
bombs in civilian-populated areas. If they are
to be used or exported for use in a combat zone,
a key condition must be met: they must have a
functioning rate of 99% or higher, so that they
donít leave a minefield of deadly ëdudsí waiting
for future generations of farmers, travelers, and
children. None of the U.S. stockpile meets this
functioning requirement; most U.S. cluster bombs
have dud rates between 5-15%, far above the
would-be maximum of 1%.
The main opposition to S. 594 focuses on the
potential military utility of cluster bombs.
However, this opposition is expressed almost
exclusively in vague claims of military
necessity, and doesnít account for changes in the
style of warfare since World War II. These
weapons were originally designed for large troop
and vehicle formations, which we rarely see
today. Cluster bombs can actually be
counter-productive to military goals. Unexploded
remnants cause deep and long lasting resentment
among local populations which can undermine
efforts to quell counter-insurgencies.
TAKE ACTION
1. During the month of December, join our
holiday postcard campaign. Send a message of
hope and action for the children. Bring this
campaign to your family, friends, co workers,
faith community and community organizations. Go
to
<http://www.banclusterbombs.org/>www.banclusterbombs.org
for more information. Or contact: Mary
Trotochaud at: 207-342-2251,
mtrotochaud at earthlink.net
2. Educate your community. Organize a
community showing of ìBombiesî a documentary
about the devastating long term effects the US
use of cluster bombs during the Vietnam War has
had on the population of Laos over the past 40
years. For more information:
<http://www.mcc.org/clusterbombs/bombies/>http://www.mcc.org/clusterbombs/bombies/
3. Be a peace lobbyist! Make an appointment
to meet with Senators Collins and Snowe,
Representatives Allen and Michaud during the
holiday recess when they are likely to be in
Maine. Remember: YOU are what a lobbyist looks
like! For lobbying tips:
<http://www.fcnl.org/action/toolkit.htm>http://www.fcnl.org/action/toolkit.htm
Senator Susan Collins
202 Harlow St., #204
Bangor, ME 04402
Phone: (207) 945-0417
Fax: (207) 990-4604
Senator Olympia Snowe
Three Canal Plz., #601
Portland, ME 04112
Phone: (207) 874-0883
Fax: (207) 874-7631
Rep. Michael Michaud
23 Water St., Ste. 205
Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: (207) 942-6935
Fax: (207) 942-5907
Rep. Tom Allen
57 Exchange St., Ste. 302
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: (207) 774-5019
Fax: (207) 871-0720
Mary Trotochaud
<mailto:mtrotochaud at earthlink.net>mtrotochaud at earthlink.net
207-342-2251
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--
The Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine
170 Park Street
Bangor ME 04401
(207) 942-9343
fax 992-2288
email: info at peacectr.org
check our website: <http://www.peacectr.org/>www.peacectr.org
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