PRESS RELEASE Belgian Coalition: 'Stop Uranium Weapons!'
117 Belgian votes for a ban on
depleted uranium (DU) munitions and armour - 22nd March, 2007
On Thursday 22th March the Belgian Chamber plenary sitting voted the
law proposal regarding depleted uranium munitions that was unanimously
approved by the Chamber Commission on National Defence two weeks ago.
Again, the plenary sitting of the Parliament voted unanimously in favor
of this law proposal that will " prohibit the manufacture, use,
storage, sale, acquisition, supply and transit of inert munitions and
armour that contain depleted uranium or any other industrially
manufactured uranium ." Deputies Brigitte Wiaux (CdH), ZoëGenot
(Ecolo), Stef Goris (VLD) and Dirk Van der Maelen (political group
leader of SP.A and SPIRIT) appealed for a wide parliamentary support of
the law proposal.
All 117 parliamentarians, including extreme right, voted to ban
depleted uranium munitions and armor. Probably before the federal
elections, the law will be publicized in the Belgian Statute Book.
Willem Van den Panhuysen and Ria Verjauw, campaign leaders of the
Belgian Coalition 'Stop Uranium Weapons!' were surprised of this
tremendous political consensus to ban this type of weaponry.
Belgium is now the first country in the world to counter this
indiscriminate DU weapons relying on the precautionary principle.
What are depleted uranium weapons?
The category "Depleted Uranium weaponry" encompasses projectiles that
are specifically designed to pierce armoured vehicles, and DU
strengthened armour, specifically designed to stop adversary
projectiles. These weapons are particularly controvertial as when a
DU-projectile impacts on a hard object it turns partly to dust
particles of uranium oxides, generating temperatures of 3,000 C to
6,000 C.
When these particles are ingested into the human body, the chemically
and radiologically toxic properties of DU oxides reinforce each other
and have the capability of damaging cells in tissues and organs. (1)
Although there are no conclusive epidemiological data correlating DU
exposure to specific health effects, studies using cultured cells and
laboratory rodents continue to suggest the possibility of leukemogenic,
genetic, reproductive and neurological effects from chronic exposure.
(2)
A training videotape made in 1995 by the U.S. Army Chemical School
shows that soldiers on the battlefield should cover themselves
completely to avoid contamination, considering that the DU dose they
could intake at the time the combat vehicle is struck by DU munitions
potentially exceeds the U.S. safety standards.(3)
Investigations at the U.S. Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
have demonstrated that exposure to DU oxide particles can induce
irreversible damage to the genetic material, that they accumulate in
the lymph nodes and that they induce cancers.
Though there exists a consensus in the scientific community about the
health hazards from exposure to the mainly ceramic DU particles, when
ingested,, there remain scientific uncertainties due to a lack of
sufficient research regarding the environmental behaviour of DU.
Just because of these uncertainties and unresolved questions, and
because of the fact that DU - like any heavy metal - accumulates in the
human body, this should keep the international community from using DU
weapons and munitions on the battlefields.
This "precautionary principle" has led the European Parliament to make
four seperate requests to EU member states to immediately implement a
moratorium on the further use of DU ammunition. (4) Nineteen countries
have DU weapons in their arsenals. According to the Belgian government
Belgium has never bought or possessed such weaponry. The Belgian
Security and Defence Industry has declared to the Commission on Defence
that Belgium doesn't produce DU weapons. According to their website and
spokesperson, MECAR, a Belgian ammunition factory, manufactures armour
piercing prjectiles based on high strength tungsten alloys, without any
use of DU. Despite arguments regarding the superiority of uranium-based
anti-tank weapons over tungsten-based weapons, there are no critical
studies that can verify this.
Belgian and International coalitions of scientists, war veterans,
military trade unions, ecological and human rights organizations, are
working for a global ban on uranium weapons. To reach the goal of an
international treaty outlawing Depleted Uranium weapons they make use
of means such as lobbying, proposing parliamentary questions,
organising conferences with specialists, petitioning and so on. A model
international convention banning DU weapons has also been developed. It
is hoped that the Belgian ban on DU weapons will be an important step
towards achieving an international ban.
Press contact:
Willem Van den Panhuysen
willem@motherearth. org
gsm: 0473 71 75 18
tel.: 09 256 01 45
Belgian Coalition: 'Stop Uranium weapons!':
http://www.motherearth.org/du
International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons:
http://www.bandepleteduranium.org
Avigolfe
http://www.avigolfe.com
The Belgiian Coalition'Stop Uranium Weapons!' is a co-operation of the
following NGO's. :
Association Médicale pour la Prévention de la Guerre
Nucléaire - Groupe Liégeois pour l'Economie Distributive
- CSOTAN - Pax Christi Leuven - Bond Beter Leefmilieu - Vakbondsmensen
In Verzet tegen Oorlog - Oxfam-Solidariteit - Artsen voor Vrede -
Netwerk-Vlaanderen - Mouvement Chrétien pour la Paix -
International Action for Liberation - Stop United States of Aggression
- Jeugdbond voor Natuur en Milieu - Links Ecologisch Forum - Forum voor
Vredesactie - ACV-Brussel - Friends of the Earth Vlaanderen en Brussel
- Greenpeace - Vlaams Overleg Duurzame Ontwikkeling - Pax Christi
Vlaanderen - Coördination Nationale d'Action pour la Paix et la
Démocratie - Vrede - SOS Irak - Verbond VOS - Mouvement Ouvrier
Chrétien Liège-Huy-Waremme
Notes to the editor:
(1) Bertell, dr. Rosalie: All the questions about Depleted Uranium and
Gulf War Syndrome are not yet answered , in International Journal of
Health Services, (2006), vol. 36, nr. 3, pp. 503-520; http://www.motherearth.org/du/bertell.pdf
; rosaliebertell@ greynun.org
(2) Miller, Alexandra C., et al.: Depleted uranium - properties, uses,
and health consequences , (2007), CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group; http://www.crcpress.com
(3) U.S. Army Chemical School: Depleted Uranium Hazard Awareness ,
training video TVT 3-92, 1995; http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3581.htm
(4) European Parliament: European Parliament resolution on the harmful
effects of
unexploded ordnance and depleted uranium ammunition , P5_TA(2003)0062 ;
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/omk/sipade3?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P5-TA-2003-0062+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&LEVEL=3&NAV=X&L=EN