Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I was very happy to attend the signing ceremony of the international convention banning all forms of cluster munitions but the relevance of that to the question I asked is not so clear. The three countries to which I referred, Israel, the Russian Federation and Pakistan are not signatories.

Regarding the NGO reports, the Minister says it is only when the conflict is over that we can establish the facts. What is taking place in Sri Lanka is almost in the category of genocide, a phrase I use carefully. The Government there has announced that a military conclusion to the conflict is now possible and has given an ultimatum of 24 hours for civilians to leave the area of Vanni. What is happening is appalling and is an indictment of the international community. Cluster munitions are being used. I am not a spokesperson for the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam but the human loss of life in Sri Lanka is outrageous and is an indictment of the international community. We know these three countries produce and sell cluster munitions and I believe they have supplied them to the Sri Lankan army.

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