J.B. Russell

Reportage: Lebanon: Cluster Munitions

Human rights observers claim that up to a million "bomblets" were left scattered across southern Lebanon following the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel conflict. Cluster bombs have killed and injured thousands of civilians and continue to do so today. They remain dangerous long after a conflict has ended. One-third of all recorded cluster munitions casualties are children. Sixty percent of cluster bomb casualties are injured while undertaking their normal activities.

Representatives from over 100 countries signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions into international law on December 3rd, 2008, following 18 months of intense negotiations known as the "Oslo Process." The convention bans the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster bombs. However, key countries such as the United States and Israel, two of the largest users of cluster munitions, as well as Russia, China, India and Pakistan have yet to sign the convention.

The mountainous landscape along the border between Lebanon and Israel ,contaminated with cluster sub-munitions left over from the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel war.Arab Salim, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
A billboard honoring Hezbollah fighters "martyred" during the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel conflict at the entrance to a village. The village, near the border with Israel, was severely contaminated with cluster sub-munitions.Yohmour, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
A woman in a village near the border with Israel. During the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel conflict, the village was heavily damaged and contaminated with cluster sub-munitions. Millions of cluster bomblets and other remnants of war lay scattered across southern Lebanon.Yohmour, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
Children cross the ruins of homes destroyed during the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel conflict. The village, near the border with Israel, was severely contaminated with cluster sub-munitions.Yohmour, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Hussein Zourayk, 13, lost his leg in a cluster sub-munition accident. He was also injured by shrapnel from the explosion. Hundreds of thousands of cluster sub-munitions left over from the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel war are scattered across southern Lebanon.Aadchit, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
     
  
   
Hassan Hawrani lost his hand collecting cluster sub-munitions from banana and orange groves in order to harvest the fruit following the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel conflict. His family, who live in the groves, is poor and rely on the harvest for survival.Smaieh, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
A woman who's husband was killed in Lebanon's civil war and whose land was mined, rendering it unusable, in the Chouf mountains.Bsaba, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
Young men idle in a village in the southern stronghold of Hezbollah.Aadchit, Lebanon. Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Deminers from Mines Advisory Group (MAG) clearing some of the millions of cluster sub-munitions and other remnants of war scattered across southern Lebanon.Aadchit, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
     
  
A man who lost his leg in a cluster munition accident is fitted for a prostetic limb at the Nabatieh Rehabilitation Center for Independent Living. Hundreds of thousands of sub-munitions lie scattered across southern Lebanon following the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel war. Nabatieh, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
  
A young boy who lost his arm and legs during the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel war at the Nabatieh Rehabilitation Center for Independent Living. Hundreds of thousands of sub-munitions lie scattered across southern Lebanon following the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel war. Nabatieh, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
Hussein Zourayk, 13, who lost his leg in a cluster sub-munition accident, with his family. Hundreds of thousands of cluster sub-munitions left over from the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel war are scattered across southern Lebanon.Aadchit, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Salima Barakat is reconstructing her house after it was destroyed in the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel conflict. When cleaning up the rubble following the war she was injured by a cluster bomblet when it exploded. Millions of cluster sub-munitions and other remnants of war lay scattered across southern Lebanon.Yohmour, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Hassan Hawrani lost his hand collecting cluster sub-munitions from banana and orange groves in order to harvest the fruit following the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel conflict. His family, who live in the groves, is poor and rely on the harvest for survival.Smaieh, Lebanon. Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
A billboard bearing a portrait of the Ayatollah Khomeini in the Hezbollah stronghold of southern Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands of sub-munitions lie scattered across southern Lebanon following the 2006 Hezbollah - Israel war. Nabatieh, Lebanon.Photo © J.B. Russell