Vietnam Central Province to Invest $67M in Demining Between 2006 and 2016

Vietnam’s central province of Quang Tri has decided to invest more than $67 million in clearing up bombs and mines left from the war over the past two decades. The information was released at a conference held by the provincial People’s Committee on September 23 to review international cooperation in the work during the 2006-2016 period. Quang Tri is among localities suffering the most from war aftermath, with more than 390,000 hectares of land, or 82% of the province’s total area, are polluted with unexploded ordnance (UXO). According to the Ministry of Defense, since 1975, bomb and mine accidents have killed and injured 8,526 people, 27% of whom were children. With over 80% of locals living on agriculture and forestry, Quang Tri’s socio-economic development and poverty reduction will be affected by the bomb and mine pollution in the long run. The pollution will also cause heavy impact on the lives and assets of people as well as security, social order and safety, environment and sustainable development in the province. Over the past 20 years, demining projects in Quang Tri have cleared 116 million sq.m of seriously polluted areas, safely handling nearly 593,000 bombs, mines and other UXO. UXO risks have been popularized among local community, especially children. More than 360,000 locals have been taught on safe production in the polluted environment thanks to programs sponsored by non-governmental organizations. Activities supporting bomb and mine victims have also been diversified, aiming to ease difficulties facing them and their families, and improve their living conditions. In the coming time, the province will focus on raising the responsibility of the whole political system in overcoming bomb and mine consequences, while implementing a demining quality check process and post-demining risk management, as well as a procedure to test the quality of awareness education programs in the locality. Meanwhile, Quang Tri will also call for investment from international organizations in building a mine action center, and upgrade infrastructure and equipment for emergency aids for UXO victims. (Vietnamplus.vn Sept 23)