Not exercising your vote, Misrata and cluster bombs

Today contained two contrasting attitudes towards the freedom of expression and effectively civil responsibility. The local radio show by Mr Harper attempted to inject some interest in the local elections due on the 5th May, yet when the inimitable Mr Dee went a-interviewing amongst the populace, a surprising number declared an intention not to vote.
I should of course rejoice, as my vote will have a correspondingly greater response, yet I am saddened by the apparent devaluation of an important right and role in our society. The freedoms that we take for granted are due in part by the democratic consensus that, ultimately, it is a vote that decides who represents us in local or national government.
The current siege of Misrata in Libya, with the accompanying deaths and destruction, borne primarily by the civilians trapped in the city, illustrates the other end of the spectrum - where people wish to have a voice and are being countered by guns.
The conflict is unlikely to decline in the near future with both the West introducing further weaponry, for example the remotely operated armed drones and "advisors" to the rebels on the ground, to the mounting evidence of the Libyan forces using cluster bombs.
Cluster bombs are comprised of a large container that has a multitude of small bomblets within. These are spread over a wider area. Their indiscriminate spread causes civilian casualties. With a significant proportion not exploding (5%), they remain a hazard long after any conflict.
Here in the United Kingdom, we have an ambiguous record. We have been involved in conflicts such as the Gulf War and action in Kosovo where cluster munitions have been used by our allies and UK arms manufacturers have apparently prduced cluster bombs within the UK. According to the Wikipedia article on cluster boms, the UK still has stocks of these weapons. The British Government has ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, agreeing to ban their use, which is a great leap forward. Sadly, the major superpowers USA, China and Russia have not yet committed themselves in the same way.