LEBANON: Lebanese southerner collects Israeli cluster bombs with the aim of establishing a museum

While stamp and coin collecting are common hobbies in different areas around the world, cluster bomb collecting is on the increase in southern Lebanon. One resident of the south, Hussein Marji, has started a collection of cluster bombs, mortar shells, and parachutes dropped by Israel in southern Lebanon during its month-long war with Hezbollah. The retired soldier initially started collecting the weapons out of concern for the safety of children and fieldworkers. His experience in the army enabled him to diffuse the explosives. "I initially started collecting (unexploded cluster bombs and mortar shells) from the house. Our house and garden were shelled so I started collecting them and putting them at home. Then a cluster bomb exploded on some children in the neighbourhood. That motivated me even more to collect them in order to protect the children and the workers in the fields. So I began to gather them from the roads. The ones I couldn't remove, we would surround with rocks and flags until the demining experts could come and remove them," Marji told Reuters Television. Unexploded Israeli cluster bombs have killed more than 20 Lebanese and wounded 70 since the war ended in an August 14 truce. Cluster munitions -- which activist groups and some countries want banned -- are canisters delivered by rocket or shell containing hundreds of small bomblets. They often fail to explode on impact and lie around for years posing a threat to civilians. The London-based organisation Landmine Action has identified 770 sites hit by cluster bombs during the conflict. 45,000 unexploded cluster bomblets have been cleared and destroyed, while hundreds of thousands more still litter the countryside. Marji aims to establish a museum with his collection as evidence of the use of the weapons on residential areas. "The reason I started this was to remove the cluster bombs from the streets, out of people's way, and to put them in a museum to show the world, the children, future generations, and history that these bombs were dropped on our village, on residential areas," Marji said. The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of illegally using cluster bombs in populated areas during the war. Israel's army chief launched an investigation into the military use of cluster bombs in Lebanon, following media reports that he had not authorised wide use of the controversial munitions in fighting. Israel has in the past defended its right to use cluster bombs and says it only deploys them in accordance with international law. The United Nations has called for a freeze on the use of the weapons in or near populated areas. Marji's stores his collection of cluster bombs in his house and is hoping for support to found his museum. "500 cluster bomb and 120 mortar shells, 4 Apache rockets, 15 flare bombs, the ones they use at night for light…I placed them here in the room so that in the future if an organization aides me in opening a museum to show the world that these bombs were thrown on our villages," Marji said. Marji who lives with his mother and brother witnessed the effect of cluster bombs first hand. "Five cluster bombs fell on our roof. My mother and brother were asleep. God protected them from death. The rubble fell on them while they were sleeping. A cluster bomb also landed in our garden," Marji said.

ITN Source | November 30, 2006

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