A staff member from Norwegian People’s Aid Vietnam surveys an area contaminated with landmines (Photo courtesy of NPA) Hanoi (VNA) - As many as 2,000 peoplewere killed by post-war landmines between 2010 and 2014, while an estimated 6.1million hectares accounting for more than 21 percent of Vietnam’s land remainscontaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO).
This information was released by Dang Van Dong, DeputyDirector of the Vietnam National Mine Action Centre (VNMAC) under the Ministryof National Defence, at a November 23 conference on promoting internationalpartnerships and supporting victims of UXO and Agent Orange (dioxin) in Vietnam.
Victims of left-over bombs and mines have mostlybeen in the Central Highlands and central provinces. High-risk groups includechildren under 16, scrap collectors and people living in isolated areas.
The centre operates a livelihood assistance programmeand provides aid of up to 5 million VND (213 USD) to each landmine victim’sfamily.
In collaboration with the governments of theUnited States, Japan, the United Kingdom and other international organisations,capacity building projects for victims are also conducted.
VNMAC focuses on UXO clearance, assistance forlandmine victims, communication on UXO prevention and international resourcemobilisation.
As the cost for UXO cleanup is high, raisingawareness for people living in severely contaminated area is prioritised.
Last October, a project to remedy the consequencesof post-war bombs and mines in Quang Binh and Binh Dinh provinces from 2018 to2020 was launched by the governments of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea.
With 20 million USD of assistance from the KoreaInternational Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the project expects to clear 8,000haof landmine-contaminated area in Quang Binh province and survey 20,000additional hectares.
Data about victims in the two provinces will becollected to better assess action plans moving forward.
In April, the National Steering Committee on theSettlement of Post-war Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences, orCommittee 701, under the Ministry of National Defence, was established.
With Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as thecommittee’s head and ministers as members, the government shows its commitmentto overcoming post-war consequences of UXO and toxic chemicals, said Do Van Duan,a representative of the committee.-VNA
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