No laser weapons to blind people

I would urge all of you to please write your MP and encourage Canada not to proceed with use of these weapons!

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Armed with legal advice that the systems can be classified as warning devices, the Canadian military wants to proceed with the purchase of laser weapons designed to temporarily blind people.

But a group opposed to the purchase of the equipment says any use of the so-called "laser dazzlers" in Afghanistan violates international law and sets a dangerous precedent.

The senior military leadership has recommended the purchase, and the $10-million project is now awaiting approval from Defence Minister Peter MacKay. Defence insiders say the military's lawyers examined the legalities of using the devices on Afghans, and concluded the systems are not laser weapons and can be deemed warning devices. MacKay is expected to approve the purchase.

But Anthony Salloum, program director at the Rideau Institute in Ottawa, said Canada would be violating its international obligations by using the dazzlers on Afghans. Canada has ratified a treaty that prevents the use of weapons that cause permanent blindness.

"These are laser weapons that can blind and, as tests by Penn State University have shown, can also cause second- and third-degree burns," said Salloum, whose institute has criticized the government and military's approach to the Afghanistan mission. It's also leading a campaign to halt the purchase of the dazzlers.

The lasers are capable of "disrupting" the vision of a person 50 to 500 metres away, depending on the model used. Some manufacturers say the systems are entirely safe, while other officials who know the weapons acknowledge they can injure or blind people -- but only when improperly used at close range.

Once Canada does this, it sets a dangerous precedent and opens up the field to other countries to do it!