Sissy Vovou
We have seen the condemnation of the use of cluster munitions by Russia, by Amnesty International, many months ago, and now we see the willingness of the USA to send and the willingness of Ukraine to receive these lethal weapons, which leave a "mark" in places where they are used, for years and decades. We don't forget, that the war is fought on Ukranian territory, and the remains of such weapons will be there, in Ukraine, destroying the territory and the people for years to come. Any victory against Russia, if such munitions are used and "planted" in the land, will be fake victory, it will destroy the life of the Ukranian people and their land. The same of course happens with the cluster munitions already used by Russia on Ukranian land, army and people, which have been condemned by many international organisations and some cases are prepared for the International Criminal Court.
We don't forget that these munitions are banned, and that 111 countries have signed this ban and have promised the destruction of the stocks they had and perhaps still have. A relevant paragraph from Amnesty International: “Russia’s war of aggression has brought profound suffering to the people of Ukraine. It is the humanitarian considerations, and concern for civilians in countries torn by war and its aftermath – which has driven 111 states, including many of Ukraine’s allies, to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions and ban the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of such weapons.”
Furthermore, there are other weapons, the atomic weapons that Russia holds and the threats of Russia to use them against Ukraine, which does not hold such weapons because it surrendered them to Russia in 1994. What if Russia really uses such atomic weapons? Are we going to ask the USA to give to nukes to Ukraine so that they can have a "fair play" with Russian aggression?
Of course every war is fought with weapons, and despite our antimilitaristic spirit and actions of the antiwar and of the left movement, we accept the fair reply of Ukraine against the Russian invasion and the use of weapons and their legitimate demand for supply of weapons from other countries. This does not happen for the first time in history, to speak only about the Second World War, whete the American arm assistance to the Soviet Union made the latter able to resist the Hitler army progress https://share.america.gov/america-sent-equipment-to-soviet-union-in-world-war-ii/
If a left wing solidarity, like ENSU, accepts the use of such cluster bombs by Ukraine, this will undermine its principles and delegitimise it in the face of the broader movement and in the last analysis weaken its impact which up to now is morally and politically important.
Sissy Vovou - from the ENSU solidarity in Greece - In personal capacity