Editing Cluster munition (section)

==== Sri Lanka, 2008/2009 ====
In 2009, the [[United States Department of State|US Department of State]] prepared a report on incidents in Sri Lanka between January and May 2009 that could constitute violations of international humanitarian law or crimes against humanity. This report documented the use of cluster munitions by Sri Lanka’s government forces. Photos and eyewitness accounts described the use of such weapons in several attacks on civilian areas, including an incident on March 7, 2009, in [[Valayanmadam]], where two cluster bombs exploded, causing significant civilian casualties and injuries. The reports suggest that cluster munitions were used in areas declared as safe zones for civilians.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/131025.pdf | title=Report to Congress on Incidents During the Recent Conflict in Sri Lanka }}</ref> 

According to Gordon Weiss, who was the spokesperson for the UN in [[Colombo]], the "largest remaining functioning hospital" in the [[Vanni (Sri Lanka)|Vanni]] region of Sri Lanka was bombed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-11-02 |title=In Sri Lanka, Aid Agencies Say Hospital Hit by Shells |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2009-02-02-voa12-68796692/411781.html |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Voice of America |language=en}}</ref> The Sri Lankan military has been accused of bombing the hospital with cluster munitions, but cluster bombs were not used in the bombing of the hospital.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-02-04 |title=Sri Lanka: Cluster bomb strike on hospital is despicable |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2009/02/sri-lanka-cluster-bomb-strike-hospital-despicable-20090204/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Amnesty International |language=en}}</ref> The government has denied using cluster munitions, but in 2012 unexploded cluster bombs were found, according to Allan Poston, who was the technical advisor for the [[UN Development Program]]’s mine action group in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-04-26 |title=Cluster bombs found in Sri Lanka, UN expert says |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-17861187 |access-date=2024-07-01 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> An article published by The Guardian in 2016 provided photographic evidence and testimonies from former de-miners and civilians pointing to the use of Russian-made cluster bombs in areas that the government had declared as "no-fire zones."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stoakes |first=Emanuel |date=2016-06-20 |title=Cluster bombs used in Sri Lanka's civil war, leaked photos suggest |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/20/cluster-bombs-used-sri-lanka-civil-war-leaked-photos-suggest |access-date=2024-07-01 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>