March 20, 2008
Senator Snowe Signs On TO S.594, the First Republican in the Senate to Sign!

Call Senator Susan Collins today, (207) 945-0417, and ask her to join Senator Snowe in protecting civilian and Maine soldiers.

National Call-in Day to Legislators in Advance of Global Cluster Bomb Negotiations

Nations Working to Ban Cluster Bombs

Children are Forty Percent of Cluster Bomb Casualties

What’s Good: Progress in the Work to Ban Cluster Bombs

Continuous War: Iraq and Lebanon

Sign on and circulate our Clergy Sign on letter

Holiday Postcard Campaign

Did you know that civilians, not soldiers, account for 98% of the casualties due to cluster bombs over the past 40 years?

In the last 15 years, U.S.-made cluster bombs have been used in civilian-populated areas in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Former Yugoslavia, and Lebanon. These deadly bombs disperse smaller bomblets that are designed to kill all living creatures within a specific area that is often as large as several football fields. Used in populated areas, they are an indiscriminate killer of civilians. Depending on the type of munitions and the delivery system, one cluster bomb can scatter dozens to hundreds of bomblets over an area a large area. Many of these bomblets, from 5 to 25%, fail to detonate and form de facto minefields with devastating and long lasting effect. The cluster bombs the U.S. dropped 40 years ago in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam are still killing people today. These deadly remnants of war continue to kill civilians long after the conflicts end and children are often the victims. In Southeast Asia at least 60% of the casualties of unexploded cluster munitions are children.

The Cluster munitions Civilian Protection Act (S. 594 and H.R. 1755) is a common-sense bill which prevents the U.S. military from using cluster bombs in areas where civilians are known to be present. This bill will: Immediately prohibit the use of cluster bombs in or near populated or urban areas; prohibit the use, sale and transfer of U.S. made cluster bombs containing submunition failure rates of more then 1%?to ensure that a large minefield of bomblets is not left behind; requires the U.S. to clean up all of the unexploded bomblets. This bill represents a practical solution to a serious humanitarian threat, and it would bring the U.S. into line with the emerging international consensus against the misuse of these highly indiscriminate weapons. As the world community moves towards a treaty to ban cluster bombs in the next several months, the time for U.S. action is now.

On November 5, thousands of people around the country called their senators and asked them to co sponsor the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act (S. 594). Nationally, Mainers made the second highest number of calls: 129 calls to Senators Collins and Snowe. Only Pennsylvanians made more. This was a great state wide effort but we need to keep the pressure on. The toll free number is still available through this week and *your call will make a difference. *It takes less then 5 minutes. Call today and ask one friend or colleague do the same. Together we can ban cluster bombs.

This is an Ongoing Campaign!

Call Anytime and Ask Senators Collins to cosponsor S. 594
800-352-1897*

How to Make Your Calls Senator Susan Collins 202 Harlow St., #204 Bangor, ME 04402 Phone: (207) 945-0417 Fax: (207) 990-4604

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

…And Thank Senator Snowe for Signing On!
Senator Olympia Snowe Three Canal Plz., #601 Portland, ME 04112 Phone: (207) 874-0883 Fax: (207) 874-7631

• *Call your senators using a special toll free number: (800) 352-1897 *
• This number connects you to the Capitol Switchboard. You will need to ask for your senator by name.
• Once you are directed to the office, ask to speak to the legislative assistant who deals with military and national security issues. For Senator Collins, this is Mark Winter. For Senator Snowe, this is Joe Sixeus.
• After you call one senator’s office, call back and ask for your other senator.
• If lines are busy, don?t give up it means that we are making it happen.

Resources

National Campaign to Ban Cluster Bombs at FCNL: http://www.banclusters.org

What would a cluster bomb do to your neighborhood? Interactive map: http://www.fcnl.org/weapons/cluster_attack2.htm

Send a Postcard

If you or your organization would like to join the Maine Campaign to Ban Cluster Bombs or for more information contact: Mary Trotochaud, mtrotochaud [at] earthlink [dot] net or 207-342-2251

The Washington Post published a multimedia presentation and a print article on cluster bombs in South Lebanon featuring teenager Rasha Zayoun who lost her leg. ATFL also sponsored a photo-shoot in Lebanon by photographer Kike Arnal including a narrative photo portrait of Ms. Zayoun.

Please take a moment to see these by clicking on the following links:

http://tinyurl.com/3x87wr multimedia presentation.

Continuous war: Cluster bombs in South Lebanon http://tinyurl.com/2wjbrz by Jahi Chikwend.

Photo-portrait of Rasha Zayoun http://tinyurl.com/2ll9tr by Kike Arnal (sponsored by ATFL).