环球英语 — 290：Cluster Bombs

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Welcome to Spotlight 1. I'm Ruby 2 Jones.

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And I'm Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

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Soraj Ghulam Habib is a young man from the Herat Province of Afghanistan. Seven years ago, when he was only ten years old, he lost both of his legs when a cluster 3 bomb exploded. He wrote about this terrible event on a website called BAN Advocates.

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"One day when I was a child, I was excited to play with my friends in my local area of Herat. Suddenly, I crashed into an unknown object and it took half of my body. I lost two of my legs and some of my friends were injured too. Playing and fun stopped. I was forced into much suffering and difficulties, and my family received a son without legs."

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Soraj suffered much after that day. He spoke 4 about his suffering at a conference on cluster bombs in Wellington, New Zealand. He told the listeners,

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"I have been through pain, suffering and rejection 5. I face many barriers, seen and unseen, that prevent me from completely taking part in community life. Cluster bombs prevented me from going to school, playing with children, and from social events. Cluster bombs destroyed my dreams."

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Today's Spotlight will be on Soraj Ghulam Habib and his work to ban the use of cluster bombs. His story is a story of survival 6. And his life shows how one person can influence, change and save lives.

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Cluster bombs are a kind of ammunition 7 that has been used since World War Two. These bombs are made of many parts. There is one large bomb shell with hundreds or even thousands of smaller bombs inside. Airplanes drop the large bomb shells. While in the air, the little bombs or "bomblets" are released from the larger shell. These small bombs fall to the ground over very large areas of space.

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Because cluster bombs release over large areas, it is more difficult to target individuals. Many innocent citizens can be hurt or killed by the bombs. And many groups feel that this is a major problem with this kind of ammunition.

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Another problem with cluster bombs is that some of the "bomblets" do not explode when they hit the ground. These unexploded "bomblets" stay on the ground - some times for years. However, when they are touched, they can explode.

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Often, little children think the unexploded "bomblets" are play things. When the children try to touch the bomblets, they can accidently explode. Adults can also accidently explode cluster bombs while farming, hunting or even just walking. The group Handicap 8 International says that 98 percent of cluster bomb victims are innocent citizens. And 27 percent of those are children.

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This is what happened to Soraj. While he was playing with friends, he ran into a "bomblet." Amazingly, he survived. But the cluster bomb changed his life forever.

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For the past year and a half, Soraj has spent much time travelling and informing people all over the world about an international treaty against cluster bombs. He hoped to show them that cluster bombs cause more harm than good. He hoped that many countries would sign the treaty.

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This past December, Soraj met with the leaders of his home country, Afghanistan. He and other cluster bomb survivors 9 encouraged Afghan leaders to sign the treaty, banning the use of cluster bombs.

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Before meeting with the cluster bomb victims, Afghanistan supported using cluster bombs. They were not going to sign the treaty! However, after talking with survivors like Soraj, the Afghan leaders changed their minds. This was a major surprise to the international community. And on December the 4th 2008, Afghanistan joined many other countries in Oslo, Norway to sign an international treaty. This treaty was the Convention 10 on Cluster Munitions 11.

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Soraj told the news group, the Associated Press, about his meeting with Afghan leaders. He said,

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"I explained to the ambassador 12 my situation, and that the people of Afghanistan wanted a ban."

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This was a great day for Soraj. In all, almost 100 countries signed the treaty. The treaty was written to protect innocent citizens all over the world. And the countries that signed the treaty agreed to stop using cluster bombs, stop making or selling cluster bombs and stop encouraging other countries to use them. Soraj said,

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"Today is a historic 13 day."

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Many aid groups, cluster bomb survivors and families who have lost loved ones to cluster bombs are very happy about the treaty. They know that the ban on cluster bombs is making international progress.

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But unexploded cluster bombs continue to be a serious problem for many countries. The country of Vietnam is a good example. The Vietnam War ended over 30 years ago. Since that time, over 100,000 innocent citizens have been hurt or killed in explosions of old cluster bombs. Today, there are still unexploded cluster bombs throughout Vietnam. And people are still at risk.

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The danger of cluster bombs continues for a long time after wars end. This is another reason international leaders and aid workers believe the treaty against cluster bombs is so important.

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However, not every country signed the international treaty last December. In fact, a few very powerful countries like Russia, Israel and the United States refused.

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Countries like the United States support the use of cluster bombs. They believe that when the bombs are used carefully, they can be very effective. However, the United States has not used cluster bombs since 2003.

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A leader from the group, Human Rights Watch talked with the news group Associated Press. He spoke about the countries that did not sign the treaty. He said,

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"We are saddened by the states that did not show up here in Oslo...They are on the wrong side of history. Some of them are holding on to what is now a widely disapproved 14 weapon."

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So, cluster bombs have not been completely banned. However, many lives will be saved by the signing of the treaty.

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And people like Soraj will continue working hard to stop the use of cluster bombs. Change does not always happen quickly or completely. But the process of change has begun.

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Today, Soraj is hopeful about his life. He remembers his suffering, but he is also working toward the future. He is continuing to study. And he also continues to inform people about the harm caused by cluster bombs. He writes,

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"As a victim of cluster bombs who lost two of his legs, I propose to those who produce, use and move these harmful weapons: Please stop cluster bombs, you would stop them for sure if your own children faced such a terrible future."