The moral imperative against landmines and cluster munitions

(Vatican Radio) Over 3,000 adults and children annually are either killed or maimed by landmines and cluster munitions. Each year on April 4^th the international community observes World Landmine Awareness Day to draw attention to the continuing suffering caused by landmines or cluster munitions in more than 80 countries around the globe. Vatican Radio’s Susy Hodges spoke to Jared Bloch, Media Manager of the International Coalition to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munitions Coalition.

Listen to the extended interview with Jared Bloch:

Bloch says the international treaties and conventions to ban the production and use of these weapons “have done an amazing job,” especially in reducing the number of casualties caused by them. At the same time, he points out that it remains “a huge issue” with many countries still badly affected by this scourge.

Asked which are the worst affected nations, Bloch says when it comes to cluster munitions, Laos in Asia is among those at the top of the list. Turning to landmines, he says Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia, Cambodia and Iraq are the main countries where there are large areas contaminated by landmines.

Bloch says despite the fact that there are still dozens of countries which have not signed up to the treaties or conventions banning the production and use of these weapons, he says public opinion is increasingly on the side of their Coalition. “There is a huge and pervasive or widely recognized moral imperative to stop the use or production of these banned weapons.” This is borne out, he continues, by the fact that the “overwhelming” portion of the international community “does recognize that using these weapons is unconscionable.”