The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Costa Rica has issued a strong statement of condemnation to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after reviewing a report by Human Rights Watch, which explains that the Middle Eastern has dropped cluster munitions against Houthi rebel forces in Yemen.

As has been previously reported by The Costa Rica Star, Costa Rica currently presides the Convention on Cluster Munitions:

Costa Rica is the leading member state in this noble effort. Cluster bombs are war munitions that are usually launched from the air. Upon approaching or hitting their targets, cluster bombs break up and separate into smaller explosives. These munitions were first developed by the Third Reich and deployed by the Luftwaffe against the Allies during World War II. They can be used as anti-personnel or anti-vehicle weapons, but they can also be used to drop leaflets as part of propaganda or psychological operations on civilian populations.

Below is a communication by the Cluster Munition Coalition on this matter:

Geneva, 4 May 2015 – The Coalition led by Saudi Arabia used cluster munitions in strikes over Yemen that started on 26 March, including near villages, according to credible evidence gathered by Human Rights Watch.

This, despite the fact that, at a news conference in Riyadh on 29 March, a representative of Saudi Arabia, Brig. Gen. al-Assiri, had told the media: “We are not using cluster bombs at all.”

The Coalition comprises Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. The United States provides logistics and intelligence support.

“While none of these states are parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, they should all respect the principles of International Humanitarian Law,” said Megan Burke, Director of the Cluster Munition Coalition. “Available data on past use says that 94% of cluster munition victims are civilians and many of these are children. Using these weapons is in direct contradiction with International Humanitarian Law. Any use by any actor under any circumstances is unacceptable.”

Human Rights Watch identified remnants of two CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapons manufactured by the Textron Systems Corporation and supplied to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates by the United States in recent years. It is believed that these were used in recent weeks, including before 17 April and possibly as recently as 27 April.

While the CBU-105 is banned under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, its use is permitted under existing US policy and its export is permitted under the existing US export restrictions on cluster munitions.

“The cluster munitions identified in Yemen are produced by an American company in which financial institutions worldwide are still investing billions of dollars. These investments make it possible for this horrendous weapon to be produced,” explained Suzanne Oosterwijk from PAX, who leads a campaign against financial investments in cluster munitions, jointly with the CMC.

On 27 March, the Cluster Munition Coalition had called on Saudi Arabia and others not to use cluster munitions.

The Cluster Munition Coalition condemns the use of cluster munitions in Yemen and calls on coalition members to ensure no future use.

There is credible evidence that Saudi Arabia had also previously used cluster bombs in air strikes on Yemen’s northern Sada’a governorate, in November 2009.