International Law/Convention/Treaty:
The chemical weapon convention also known as CWC is an arms control agreement/treaty which outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. Signed by countries that have a similar mind set and want to work together to ban chemical weapons in their fellow countries.
Type of law:
The chemical weapon convention is a treaty signed by any country that want to achieve the same goal of outlawing chemical weapons and must follow the treaty or face serious consequences.
Jurisdiction/Signatories:
Almost all countries in the world have joined the chemical weapon convention. So far 188 of the 195 countries recognized by the United Nations are part of this treaty. Of the 7 countries that have not signed this treaty two have signed but have not ratified the treaty which is Burma and Israel, and the 5 that have not signed are Angola, North Korea, Egypt, Somalia and Syria. Any country that signs this treaty must follow the contents stated and must make sure no one in their country breaks this pact or face dire consequences.
History:
Intergovernmental consideration for a chemical weapon band was initiated in 1968 within the 18-nation disarmament committee, which after numerous disputes over the name finally became the Conference on Disarmament. Usually confused as a group being controlled by the United Nations is actually being administrated by a whole different group called the Organization for the prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which conducts inspection of military and industrial plants in all member countries that signed the treaty and also as well as working with stockpile countries.
Application of the Law:
On July 11, 2007 the OPCW confirmed the destruction of the entire chemical weapons stockpile in Albania under the terms of the CWC. The Albanian stockpile included 16,678 kg of mustard agent, lewisite, DM and Phenacyl chloride. 100% of India’s’ chemical stockpile was destroyed by the end of April 2009. Libya’s’ entire chemical weapon stockpile is expected to be destroyed by 2011. The United States of America has destroyed over 58% (16,126 metric tons) of its’ declared stockpile by December 31, 2008. The pentagon in late 2006 stated that it expected disposal of the U.S. entire stockpile to be completed by 2023. Russia destroyed 30% (11,960 metric tons) of its stockpile by the end of 2008, the United States General Accounting office declared it does not expect Russia to reach 100% destruction until 2027 however Russia stated it will destroy all of its’ stockpile by the treaty deadline of 2012.
Violations by Country:
Sri Lanka:
The government of Sri Lanka has violated the Chemical weapon convention by using chemical warfare on the minorities of the country the Tamils. They acquired these weapons from the Russians and used the RPO-A Shmel rocket launcher that has a warhead that contains a thermo baric flammable mixture, which is most affective when detonated inside structures killing live being through suffocation and burns but, also causes death and destruction over wide areas. After the attack on the civilians, doctors found traces of Triethanolamine and Phosgene on the wounds and after further development concluded that these are a type of mustard gas attack, delivered by high explosives. The government in turn blames the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) for the chemical weapons related mishaps.
Text:
http: //www.opcw.org/chemical-weapons-convention/articles
