2,500 NATO cluster bombs still out there

Ten years after NATO attacked Serbia, there are still more than 2,500 cluster bombs that have not detonated, which requires international help to remove safely. On Tuesday in Belgrade, officials of the Coalition for Prohibiting Cluster Bombs and the Norwegian National Aid called on the Serbian government to sign the Oslo convention which calls for the prohibition of the production, sale and use of these weapons. 2,500 NATO cluster bombs still out there “The things I saw in the hospital and everything I have gone through with rehabilitation has been more than a nightmare for me and my family,” said Dejan Dikic, a Nis professor, one of the civilians injured by a cluster bomb which NATO used to attack that southern Serbian city in 1999. Throughout 15 municipalities in southern Serbia mostly, there are more than 2,500 cluster bombs that have not been disarmed, and are mostly located 20 to 70 centimeters underground. This is a danger for some 160,000 people who live in these areas, half of which live in direct proximity to the bombs. “All indications point to the fact that some 15 square kilometers in Serbia in total need to be cleaned of cluster bombs, which is 15 million square meters. In order for this to happen, we will need to work 20 more years if we continue with the current work dynamic,” Norwegian National Aid official Miroslav Pisarevic said. Serbia needs about EUR 30mn to finish the cluster bomb clearing activities. The country has yet to sign the convention for prohibiting the use of cluster bombs, which it initiated. “No country disappointed me as much as Serbia because of the fact that it has not signed,” said Thomas Nash, the coordinator of the Cluster Munition Coalition. “The U.S., Russia and China have not signed. I am not concerned because of that, but the fact that Serbia has not signed is very disappointing, because the citizens of Serbian need the convention and they helped to create it. If Serbia had signed it, the country would have access to funds for removing the mines and helping victims,” he added. The Oslo Convention has been signed thus far by 94 countries and Coalition officials reminded that the United Nations called on other countries to sign the document in New York in mid-March.

2,500 NATO cluster bombs still out there

“The things I saw in the hospital and everything I have gone through with rehabilitation has been more than a nightmare for me and my family,” said Dejan Dikić, a Niš professor, one of the civilians injured by a cluster bomb which NATO used to attack that southern Serbian city in 1999.

Throughout 15 municipalities in southern Serbia mostly, there are more than 2,500 cluster bombs that have not been disarmed, and are mostly located 20 to 70 centimeters underground.

This is a danger for some 160,000 people who live in these areas, half of which live in direct proximity to the bombs.

“All indications point to the fact that some 15 square kilometers in Serbia in total need to be cleaned of cluster bombs, which is 15 million square meters. In order for this to happen, we will need to work 20 more years if we continue with the current work dynamic,” Norwegian National Aid official Miroslav Pisarević said.

Serbia needs about EUR 30mn to finish the cluster bomb clearing activities. The country has yet to sign the convention for prohibiting the use of cluster bombs, which it initiated.

“No country disappointed me as much as Serbia because of the fact that it has not signed,” said Thomas Nash, the coordinator of the Cluster Munition Coalition.

“The U.S., Russia and China have not signed. I am not concerned because of that, but the fact that Serbia has not signed is very disappointing, because the citizens of Serbian need the convention and they helped to create it. If Serbia had signed it, the country would have access to funds for removing the mines and helping victims,” he added.

The Oslo Convention has been signed thus far by 94 countries and Coalition officials reminded that the United Nations called on other countries to sign the document in New York in mid-March.