The Sole of Africa

What are cluster bombs? Cluster munitions are large weapons which are deployed from the air and from the ground and release dozens or hundreds of smaller submunitions. Submunitions released by air-dropped cluster bombs are most often called "bomblets," while those delivered from the ground by artillery or rockets are usually referred to as "grenades."

What's the problem with this weapon? Air-dropped or ground-launched, they cause two major humanitarian problems and risks to civilians. First, their widespread dispersal means they cannot distinguish between military targets and civilians so the humanitarian impact can be extreme, especially when the weapon is used in or near populated areas. Many submunitions fail to detonate on impact and become de facto antipersonnel mines killing and maiming people long after the conflict has ended. These duds are more lethal than antipersonnel mines; incidents involving submunition duds are much more likely to cause death than injury.

Who has used cluster munitions? At least 14 countries have used cluster munitions: Eritrea, Ethiopia, France,Israel, Morocco, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Russia (USSR), Saudi Arabia, Sudan,Tajikistan, UK, US, and FR Yugoslavia. A small number of non-state armed groups have used the weapon (such as Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006). Billions of submunitions are stockpiled by some 76 countries. A total of 34 states are known to have produced over 210 different types cluster munitions. More than two dozen countries have been affected by the use of cluster munitions includingAfghanistan, Albania, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia,Chad, Croatia, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Grenada, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Laos,Lebanon, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria,Tajikistan, Uganda, and Vietnam, as well as Chechnya, Falkland/Malvinas, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Western Sahara.

Why is a ban on cluster munitions necessary? Simply put, cluster munitions kill and injure too many civilians. The weapon caused more civilian casualties in Iraq in 2003 and Kosovo in 1999 than any other weapon system. Cluster munitions stand out as the weapon that poses the gravest dangers to civilians since antipersonnel mines, which were banned in 1997. Yet there is currently no provision in international law to specifically address problems caused by cluster munitions. Israel's massive use of the weapon in Lebanon in August 2006 resulted in more than 200 civilian casualties in the year following the ceasefire and served as the catalyst that has propelled governments to attempt to secure a legally-binding international instrument tackling cluster munitions in 2008.

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More than 100 countries have formally agreed to ban the use of cluster bombs.

However, the debate now moves to the loopholes that could benefit powers such as the United States, which refused to take part in the Dublin conference.

Along with the US, China, Russia, Israel, India and Pakistan have rejected the pact.

Cluster munitions contain "bomblets" that are scattered from planes or artillery shells and detonate like mines. Opponents say they cause indiscriminate injury, often lying unexploded for years. Children are frequently the victims.

Giji Gya from the Brussels based International Security Service said: "The main actors are the United States and the UK. You also have Israel, India, Pakistan and China as the main users."

U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the elimination of cluster bombs from U.S. stockpiles would put the lives of U.S. soldiers and those of their allies at risk.

"While the United States shares the humanitarian concerns of those in Dublin, cluster munitions have demonstrated military utility," he said.

Source:Euronews 31st May 2008

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UK Telegraph
By Aislinn Simpson
Last Updated: 3:54AM BST 31/05/2008

Britain has been given eight years in which to destroy its cluster bomb stocks, although it will have stop stop using them immediately under a deal being thrashed out in Dublin this week.
Britain and others among the 110 countries involved in negotiations have successfully resisted attempts to block nations' ability to fight alongside American troops armed with cluster bombs.

America has taken no part in the negotiations and will continue to use the weaponry.
The final cost of destroying our Armed Forces' stocks of the helicopter-mounted M73 and artillery-launched M85 cluster bombs is not yet known, but destroying another cluster bomb system, the more indiscriminate M26, cost £30 million.
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The cost will be boosted by a clause requiring signatories to clear and destroy remnants of cluster bombs in areas under their juristiction or control - for Britain this will entail a major clearance project in southern Iraq.

The convention was formally adopted in Dublin yesterday but it is understood that the Ministry of Defence will continue negotiations over a number of other weapons which anti-cluster bomb campaigners want banned.

Non-Governmental Organisations have fought for years to see cluster bombs, which are predominantly used in countries including Cambodia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Lebanon, banned because unexploded munitions have maimed thousands of civilians.
Britain's negotiating team in Dublin have emphasised that both the M85 and M73 were needed to protect British troops when confronted by an enemy in armoured vehicles and their removal from theatre will leave a gap in our defences

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South African musicians to set stage at London's Clapham Grand
Southern Fire Productions Ltd are proud to present, in association with the Mineseeker Foundation and the 'Sole of Africa' Campaign, 'Simply South African' at the Clapham Grand, London on the evening of the 8th June 2008.
Join us to celebrate the artistry and musical genius of some of South Africa's leading musicians in their different genres of music.
Joining us on stage are none other than, Arno Carstens, the biggest selling South African (SA) singer/songwriter in the rock genre. Arno made his name as frontman for the highly revered Springbok Nude Girls. As a solo artist, Arno performed at the 2007 Isle of Wight festival alongside the likes of the Rolling Stones and Snow Patrol. In 2008, Arno will perform on the same bill as The Police and Paul Weller. Great things are expected from this icon of SA music.
Letcher is another name synonymous with the South African music scene. Chris Letcher fronted cult SA band, Urban Creep before heading to the UK. He has just released his new album 'Frieze' which has received favourable reviews worldwide and he will be performing with a full band.
Nibs van der Spuy's CV has it all, for this highly acclaimed singer/songwriter and finger style guitarist has travelled the world sharing his music to every appreciating ear. His latest album, 'Beautiful Feet' has received rave reviews in every country released and Nibs has shared the stage with the likes of Ben Harper, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt and folk legend, Shawn Phillips.
Hailing from Durban's north coast is Guy Buttery. Guy is blazing his name across the globe with his simply intoxicating and mesmerizing guitar play. Be it an acoustic or a sitar, Guy manages to breath life into every chord played. Despite many nominations for awards, Guy is still the youngest ever nominee for a SAMA (South African Music Awards).
Sitter brings youth and the confidence associated with many of the world's upcoming artists. With an infectious blend of Pop/Rock, these guys are destined for some great things. They are currently touring the UK and every opportunity to see them cannot be missed.
Infectious and caressing...two words that are used repeatedly to express the music of Farryl Purkiss. Farryl's debut album, recorded in collaboration with Nibs van der Spuy was nominated for a SAMA for 'Best Adult Contemporary'. He has shared a stage with Missy Higgins, Jack Johnson and Ben Lee and the best is simply yet to come. Farryl is currently touring the USA.
Opening the bill at 'Simply South African' will be London based Anglo-South African band, the Free State Prophets. Playing energetic music, this band is simply continuing to grow in the competitive London music scene. Rave reviews continue to impress and the band is definitely heading in the right direction.

As a venue, the Clapham Grand is ideal. A typically English Victorian theatre, built in 1900, it brings everyone close to the action. The venue has a superb sound and lighting system, large stage and a capacity of 1000 for this event.
Tickets are priced at £13.50 per person and will be available from www.ticketweb.com from Friday the 2nd May 2008.
Doors open at 5:00pm and there will also be a selection of South African food and beverages available.
If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@southernfirefestival.com or by calling Clayton on 07806 663 909 or Allison on 07796 294 348.
For information regarding the Mineseeker Foundation and the 'Sole of Africa' Campaign, please follow one of the website links below.
We look forward to seeing you on the 8th June 2008 for what will be a memorable experience.
Regards,
Clayton and Allison

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Candice Hillebrand is one of our South African Ambassadors and we value her time spent on helping us to help Mozambique landmine victims to help themselves.

As stated by Candice: “At times it can seem overwhelming as there is so much suffering everywhere we turn, but on a personal level we can help with what we are aware of.

The fact that you are reading this means you are meant to do something however big or small it may be, you have a part in this now. Lets put our foot down, lets stand together, lets look back and not be ashamed we did nothing, lets be proud of who we are. If you had the chance to change just one life for the better would you?

If you believe that humanity can become better than we are, that we can evolve and have a higher destiny, let us begin today”.

Candice has had a busy period and has just finished filming a drama series for Fox MyNetwork called "American Heiress." It is going to start airing in the USA next month. Candice spent some time in San Diego where the filming took place but is now back in LA. Maxim online recently did a feature on Candice that will go into print shortly, and she took a short songwriting trip to Nashville where she reports back that she "worked with some amazing people". One of the highlights of the last few months for Candice was a trip back to South Africa.

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FOOD + WATER + HEALTH AID + TECHNOLOGY + LAND RECLAIMING + EDUCATION + MICRO LOANS = "EXTREME MAKEOVER AFRICA" AND EMPOWERING ONE NATION AFTER ANOTHER TO BE SELF SUSTAINING = THE SOLE OF AFRICA CAMPAIGN 2007

If you visit Mozambique in East Africa you will witness a direct correlation between wars, earthquakes and floods and the children that stay hungry.

The need for aid is so great, but now there is clearly a solution that can change the way the history of Africa is to be written.

What America doesn’t see through its media is the very present beauty of Africa; vast fertile lands that for over 40 years have now remained un-ploughed because of a legacy of landmines; subsistence farmers that wake at dawn and toil to trade on the side of roads and children playing with eyes that mirror the fruits of their spirits.

Imagine your bank loaning you money without you guaranteeing any collateral. That’s what is now happening to millions of Africans. In Africa full repayment of these microloans to individuals totals 97%. A new economy has blossomed.

Today the most “Extreme “Makeover” you may ever witness has been birthed. It is for an entire Nation, and then another Nation and another.

However now more than ever we need to feed the starving children with nutritional meals.

The Sole of Africa is thrilled that the mega food agency, Nourish the Children, together with its worldwide empowered distributor team has joined forces to continue this quest to Make Poverty History. A child dies every 6 seconds from malnutrition, no food and dirty water.

For those of you that do not know Nourish The Children, SOA believes that it is the most complete Social Marketing program working in the world. So do a lot of other people. Since their unique business model was birthed, their growing "Force for Good" under the Chairmanship of legendary Lee Iacoca have now donated over 75,000,000 especially formulated and enriched Vitameals.

75,000,000 in only a few years!!!!!! Donated not by large fund raisers or governments but by people just like you. $20 a bag.

Today we ask for your help. It is needed now. Our immediate goal to stockpile 100,000 tons of food and donate 30,000,000 Vitameals.

-Nourish the Children donates additional funds and Vitameals to be used in the overall Sole of Africa plan.

-YOU earn commissions and rebates so that you can turn your dreams into reality, donate more food, make a trip to help “Build a Village” or simply pays bills

-Our community will embrace your visit and you can roll up your sleeves and work with NTC in Malawi and SOA in Mozambique on two week Adventure trips.

Click HELP NOW to join us today.

WE THANK YOU.

THE SOLE OF AFRICA CAMPAIGN

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If you could solve one problem facing the world this New Year ... what
would it be?

Would you:

Wipe out poverty?
Guarantee that every child gets a first-rate education?
End homelessness?
Make war ravaged lands safe from landmines that blow up women and children and stop farmers from growing crops?

Thanks to people like you, the Sole of Africa Campaign has in the last few months of 2006 helped put new limbs on mine victims; has helped start training hundreds of primary teachers and is teaming up with food agencies to feed starving children as the the world food program pulls out of its commitments citing lack of funds.

We are not interested in Aid alone. We collectively know we must teach the fisherman to fish and in 2007 we start returning land to its people. We start stimulating self sustainment with food factories that feed farmers and donate product to areas of need and stockpile for the rainy season.

The Sole of Africa has remarkable people who have overcome their own personal hurdles to contribute immensely into the world today. Our invitation is open for you to join us shoulder to shoulder. In 2007 we will be inviting you to events close to you as well as opportunities to make
trips of a life time. You will see that the keys to giving are in your own ability to receive. We hope as you start changing the world you too will benefit immensely from the rewards of helping others.

Just $8.00 will feed a hungry child for a month. $12 will clear 4 landmines after Mineseeker has
mapped an area. $99 a month for a year will help fit a new state of the art leg and rehabilitate a mine victim. $500K will build a food factory that will receive the crops turning them into nutritional meals to put back into the famine areas for 12c a meal! The point is please just help.

Collectively we believe that the Sole of Africa Campaign is the solution to the major problems in Africa. Organizations and dynamic individuals working together in support of the essence of a country, its people and its land. We know that we can maximize the donations that you contribute as their is a clear action plan with an achievable defined end goal.

OUR GIFT OF THANKS TO YOU
In celebration of the new year, responding to this email as a token of our appreciation for every donation over $10.00 we will digitally send you music tracks donated by award winning US, UK and African recording artists

The Butterfly Effect states that the tiny changes brought about by a butterfly fluttering its wings in San Francisco have the power to dramatically change the weather conditions in China.

The same applies to philanthropy. The actions of one person really do have the power to transform and impact the world. You really CAN make a difference.

Please click and donate today at http://www.thesoleofafrica.org/donate.php

Saying YES is an essential step to LEAVING a LEGACY

Yours in success,

The Sole of Africa

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SA Ambassadors Penny Streeter, Kai Von Pannier, Candice Hillebrand

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -

The Mineseeker ambassadors Penny Streeter and Candice Hillebrand met with Mineseeker SA Director, Kai Von Pannier, to discuss the The Sole of Africa campaign.

The trio have all agreed to step up the awareness campaign for the Mineseeker Foundations project, which aims to detect,remove landmines and return the cleared landmined regions to the people in Mozambique.

The Mineseeker Foundation will make use of advanced technology that enables the detection of landmines from airships at a rate of 100m per second.

Nelson Mandela, Queen Noor, Graca Machel, Sir Richard Branson. John Paul DeJoria and Brad Pitt are Patrons of the Foundation, which has successfully used the technology in Kosovo under the auspices of the United Nations.

Help us make 2007 a year of peace, health and happiness worldwide, put your foot down with us in the Sole of Africa Campaign!!!

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The Mineseeker Foundation is a non-profit organisation, endorsed by the United Nations and using technology licensed by the British Ministry of Defence. This technology represents a breakthrough that will revolutionise the international quest to rid the world of landmines.

Mineseeker will work to detect and map landmines utilising airships and the world’s foremost, ground penetrating radar system. Mineseeker technology has been tested in Kosovo under live conditions with spectacular results.

The Mineseeker Foundation was established to:

· Promote mine action

· Improve technology in mine action.

· Develop an effective landmine detection system using unique technology, mounted on an airship.

· Provide a significant tool in the humanitarian de-mining effort to provide fast, accurate minefield mapping, allowing conventional de-mining to be concentrated where it is needed.

· Enable immediate release of the estimated 80% of land currently classified as mined,
but which in fact contains no mines or other unexploded ordnance.

· Release wrongly classified land through survey in order to encourage economic growth and stability.

· Support The landmine survivor’s network.

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There are over 100 million landmines buried beneath the surface of the earth rendering a quarter of a million square miles of land useless. Worse still, this invisible hazard kills or maims someone every 20 minutes.

Now, breakthrough ground-penetrating radar technology and an unprecedented international coalition of business executives, political leaders, civil rights advocates and Hollywood elite are banding together with The Mineseeker Foundation to purge the planet of landmines and return the land to agricultural use in the next 10 to 15 years.

The initiative is called the Sole of Africa Campaign, and the alliance to turn the killing fields of Mozambique into a kitchen for Africans includes patrons for The Mineseeker Foundation: former South African President Nelson Mandela; Queen Noor of Jordan; children's advocate Graca Machel; businessmen Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic and John Paul DeJoria of John Paul Mitchell Systems; and Hollywood actor Brad Pitt.

The Sole of Africa's motto for making a difference in the world is, "It's time to put your foot down." The American public is being called upon to help rewrite history and get involved.

Continue reading "Stellar Cast Unites to Turn Killing Fields Into Kitchens; TheSoleofAfrica.org and The Mineseeker Foundation Work to Rid the Planet of Landmines in 10 Years" »

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The Sole of Africa is a campaign presented by Mineseeker Foundation dedicated to changing history in our lifetime.



How will we change history?
We have a technology and a plan to end hunger and generate sustainable economic vitality in 70 areas around the world. It's not only possible, it's proven.

How is this possible?
We know how to quickly identify and eliminate land mines in these areas and return 85% of the mapped land instantly into workable, productive farm soil, while uplifting citizens with a defined plan of aid and education.

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Essentially, we are turning "killing fields" into "kitchens". Project #1 starts with the poorest country in the world, Mozambique. With its fertile soil and climate, we are equipping a kitchen for Africa.

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