UK Indymedia, March 13, 2007

BELGIUM BANS DEPLETED URANIUM WEAPONS AND ARMOUR

They were first with land mines, first with cluster bombs -- now Belgium has become the first country in the world to ban uranium weapons

[Rachel's introduction: The Belgian Chamber Commission on National Defence has taken a precautionary stance, voting unanimously to ban the use of depleted uranium "inert ammunitions and armour plates on Belgian territory."]

Although the Belgian army does not currently use uranium weapons, the ban will affect US shipments of uranium ammunition and armour plate via the port of Antwerp.

The Belgian Chamber Commission on National Defence voted unanimously in favour of banning the use of depleted uranium "inert ammunitions and armour plates on Belgian territory."

Acknowledging the Precautionary Principle, the deputies agreed that the manufacture, use, storage, sale, acquisition, supply and transit of these conventional weapon systems should be prohibited. At the last moment the term "weapon" was deleted to make sure that the law proposal would not put a ban on the thermonuclear bombs that are stored on the Air Force base of Kleine Brogel.

In a few weeks, the Commission's decision will be discussed in the full Parliament and the Senate. This will be only a question of formality. The ruling has made Belgium the first country in the world to ban ammunitions and armour that contain depleted uranium or any other industrially manufactured uranium. Because it was purported that the government needs time to promote such a ban outside Belgium, and because the Dutch speaking liberal-democrat party wants to know if other countries would be willing to follow the Belgian example, it is now stipulated in the accepted text that the law will get into force two years after publication in the Belgian Statute Book.

The vote was a result of intense lobbying by the Belgian Coalition 'Stop Uranium Weapons!' The coalition is a member of the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons (ICBUW), an umbrella group of 85 members from 22 countries who are seeking to promote an independent treaty to ban the manufacture, use, transfer, stockpiling and sale of uranium weapons.

Belgian Coalition: 'Stop Uranium weapons!' http://www.motherearth.org/du

Campaign Against Depleted Uranium e-mail: info@cadu.org.uk Homepage: http://www.cadu.org.uk