UXO clearance - an uphill task in (VOV) - Decades after the end of the In an interview with Thanh Nien online, Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh quoted initial surveys as indicating all 63 provinces and cities in
UXO poses potential risks to people’s lives and economic production. Statistics show approximately 100,000 people have fallen victim to UXO explosions over the years, resulting in more than 40,000 deaths. Most of the victims were major income earners in the family. Every year the State spends some VND1,000 billion on bomb and mine clearance and hundreds of billions on functional rehabilitation, vocational training and resettlement for the victims. Leftover bombs and mines also cause environmental pollution, and affect the exploitation and use of natural resources, as well as socio-economic development.
Bomb and mine clearance is now conducted by infantry forces, more than 50 military-run businesses, and several missions funded by international non-governmental organisations. The disposal is done both on land and at sea, with priority given to severely contaminated localities such as On average between 30,000 and 35,000 ha of contaminated land is cleaned up every year and the figure is expected to be raised to 100,000ha in a couple of years, said Vinh. However, he admitted lack of funding, poorly equipped devices, and outdated technology are the major obstacles to UXO clearance. Since 1990 nearly 40 foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have provided humanitarian assistance to bomb and mine detection and removal in The aid has been focused on surveys, cartography in the contaminated land, UXO disposal, functional rehabilitation, resettlement, and integration for victims, and communications. A number of foreign countries have also lent a helping hand to UXO clearance to ease war aftermath in
Between 2004 and 2009, under the auspices of the US Department of State, the Vietnam Veterans of American Foundation (VVAF) and the Vietnam Centre for Bomb and Mine Disposal (BOMICEN) jointly conducted a survey evaluating the impact of bombs and mines left over from the war in the central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Ngai. In 2010 the governments of In 2013 the VOV |
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