Norway NGO Pledges More Support for Bomb, Mine Clearance in Central Vietnam

The Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), a non-governmental organization (NGO), has pledged its continuous support to clear wartime bombs, mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Vietnam’s central province of Thua Thien-Hue.NPA Country Director for Vietnam Jonathon Guthrie made the commitment during his visit to the locality on Jan 30.He thanked the local authorities and relevant agencies for creating favorable conditions for his organization’s operations over the past years.Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Truong Luu, highly appreciated the organization’s activities over the past time, saying that they has helped mitigate bomb and mine threats and create uncontaminated soil for production.The NPA has recently funded over $1.6 million for a project on reducing bomb and mine threats in Huong Tra town and Phong Dien district in the 2012-2014 period.The NPA, which is an international NGO operating in the humanitarian bomb and mine clearance, is now carrying out mne and bomb clearance projects in Quang Binh and Thua Thien Hue provinces.Thousands of unexploded bombs and grenades are still buried in the ground across Vietnam. Since the Vietnam War ended in 1975, more than 40,000 people have died of the leftover explosives. (Tuoi Tre – Youth Jan 31, vietnamplus.vn Jan 31)