Global Policy Forum

Iraq Body Count, a group that monitors the numbers of civilian deaths in the recent war and its aftermath, is challenging the Pentagon's claim that only one civilian was killed by a cluster bomb. The group, which keeps track of reports of fatalities on its website, said this week that at least 200 civilians had been killed by this type of weapon and castigated last month's Pentagon statement as prompting "widespread incredulity".

Cluster bombs - which scatter "bomblets" the size of a Coke can over a wide area - are a constant danger to civilians because the unexploded munitions can create de facto minefields. The US military's chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Richard Myers, said on April 25 that of almost 1,500 cluster bombs that were dropped from the air, only 26 came within 1,500 feet of a civilian area. He added that "there's only been one recorded case of collateral damage from cluster munitions noted so far". Last night a Pentagon spokesman said that Gen Myers had been referring only to the reports of fatalities that he knew of and that the media often knew of "collateral damage" reports ahead of the military.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of the New York-based Human Rights Watch group, said that to claim cluster bombs did "virtually no harm to Iraqi civilians is highly disingenuous". Missing from Gen Myers's statement was any reference to ground-launched or artillery cluster bombs, which were more numerous and killed more civilians, say IBC and Humans Rights Watch. Culling data from international media reports, IBC has compiled a list of 372 possible Iraqi civilian deaths from cluster munitions, and says that of these, 147 were caused by unexploded or "dud" bombs. In a statement, IBC researchers John Sloboda and Hamit Dardagan said: "Public concern about the possible misuse of these savagely indiscriminate weapons is rapidly mounting. "Our research reveals the shocking disparity between what the world's press has already reported and what the Pentagon is prepared to admit. Those who are genuinely concerned with civilian casualties, and interested in minimising them, can no longer plead ignorance."

The Ministry of Defence has said that the British army fired more than 2,000 cluster munitions from artillery pieces in the battle for Basra, which Landmine Action criticised as an "appalling" amount used in a heavily populated area. The British army has new kinds of shells and MoD said that the failure rate was between 2-5% and that it was important not to confuse cluster bombs with landmines, which the British army does not use. The MoD said some of the cluster weapons had been designed to become non-explosive after a limited time, so they would not in effect be mines. In a statement yesterday on cluster bombs, the MoD said: "Cluster bombs are a legitimate weapon which fulfil a legitimate military role that cannot be performed by other munitions. They are not indiscriminate weapons.

"The UK has used cluster bombs in a responsible way that is fully consistent with ... international law. The UK has played a leading role in discussions to find a way to minimise the risk to civilians from unexploded ordinance including unexploded cluster bomblets." The MoD added that it was committed to clearing areas hit by cluster bombs and was seeking a multilateral international accord to stop using them, although it said it would not endanger British troops by withdrawing them in any combat theatre where the enemy might use them. In the Commons on Wednesday, Clare Short, the international development secretary, agreed that there were reports of serious accidents from unexploded bombs. She said that mapping is taking place and that the UN would be involved.

Responding to a written question about the bombs, Ms Short said: "There are reports of lots of serious accidents, and of lots of children losing limbs and being injured by explosions from unexploded ordnance. "The UN is trying to map the locations of such ordnance in the country and to give priority to beginning the removal process, starting with the most dangerous areas. The return of the UN should speed up that work. However, the situation is very urgent, and we must do better." Amnesty International has called for an independent inquiry into the US and British coalition's use of cluster munitions, and a spokesperson at its London office said the "UK should declare an immediate moratorium on their use".

The Amnesty spokesperson said: "It is difficult to assess exactly how many civilians have been killed by cluster munitions, both during and after the conflict in Iraq. "Sadly the number is likely to rise every week as more are killed by unexploded 'bomblets'. What is clear is that these indiscriminate weapons leave a deadly legacy of de facto landmines that will kill and maim innocent civilians for years to come." Amnesty said its workers in Basra had reported seeing munitions lying on the ground. One worker said: "Visible landmines that had not been removed were seen immediately next to the houses of university staff which were still inhabited. Children were seen playing around them."

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