UN
“Indiscriminate harm”: explosive weapons in populated areas raised at UN protection debate, expert meeting announced
On 30 January 2015, the UN Security Council held an open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. A number of delegations raised concerns about the humanitarian harm caused by the use explosive weapons in populated areas, the threat to civilian protection that such actions pose, and the new international standards that are needed as a result. During the debate, Austria announced that it will hold an expert meeting on explosive weapons in September in Vienna. The Vienna meeting will follow previous discussions hosted by... Read more
INEW statement to the UN General Assembly’s First Committee
UN General Assembly’s First Committee, October 2014 We associate the bombing and bombardment of towns and cities with the inhumanity of carpet-bombing in World War II and in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Such practices are no longer tolerated. The international rules put in place after those wars were a direct response to the death and destruction wrought on civilians and their communities. Few people would want to see a return to this type of bombing and bombardment as... Read more
Statement to the UN First Committee on the impact of explosive weapons in populated areas, 29 October 2013
The bombing and shelling of towns and cities is a major cause of death, injury, and destroyed livelihoods. The International Network on Explosive Weapons is a civil society partnership working to prevent and reduce that harm. Explosive weapons include mortars, rockets, artillery shells, aircraft bombs, improvised explosive devices, and other munitions. When used in populated areas, these weapons tend to cause high levels of harm to individuals and communities. The British NGO Action on Armed Violence recorded from English language newswire... Read more