The Sapper Service under the Ministry of National Defence has introducedforeign military attachés in Vietnam to the country’s programme toremove unexploded ordnance left by wars.
At theworking session in Hanoi on April 26, Colonel Phan Duc Tuan, DeputyCommander of the Sapper Service said that all 63 cities and provinces inVietnam are polluted by bombs, mines and explosives over a totalarea of 66,000 sq.km, more than 20 percent of the country’s area.
At present, some 800,000 tonnes of wartime bombs, mines andexplosives lay scattered across the nation, mainly in the six centralprovinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue andQuang Ngai.
According to incomplete statistics,more than 100,000 Vietnamese people have been killed and wounded bybombs, mines and explosives since the war ended.
In past years, the Vietnamese Government has paid special attention toovercoming the consequences of bombs and mines and has poured dozens ofmillions of USD into bomb and mine clearance.
TheVietnamese Government has joined non-governmental organisations insupporting bomb and mine victims in central provinces . The countryhas also expanded cooperation with governments and internationalorganisations in surmounting the consequences of unexploded bombs andmines.
It is estimated that Vietnam needsabout 10 billion USD and more than 100 years to clear out all unexplodedordnance in the country.
Tuan said that the goalof a national programme on overcoming bomb and mine consequences is toutilise domestic and international resources to speed up the treatmentof post-war bombs and mines, minimise the impacts of bombs and mines,ensure safety for people and help victims integrate into social life.
He suggested the military attachés seek aid sources for Vietnam aswell as provide the country with equipment and technology and trainexperts and technicians serving the bomb and mine clearance task.
On behalf of foreign military attachés, Colonel Didier Oustric,Military Attaché of France, affirmed his call on governments andinternational organisations to continue effective support for theVietnamese Government and people.-VNA
At theworking session in Hanoi on April 26, Colonel Phan Duc Tuan, DeputyCommander of the Sapper Service said that all 63 cities and provinces inVietnam are polluted by bombs, mines and explosives over a totalarea of 66,000 sq.km, more than 20 percent of the country’s area.
At present, some 800,000 tonnes of wartime bombs, mines andexplosives lay scattered across the nation, mainly in the six centralprovinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue andQuang Ngai.
According to incomplete statistics,more than 100,000 Vietnamese people have been killed and wounded bybombs, mines and explosives since the war ended.
In past years, the Vietnamese Government has paid special attention toovercoming the consequences of bombs and mines and has poured dozens ofmillions of USD into bomb and mine clearance.
TheVietnamese Government has joined non-governmental organisations insupporting bomb and mine victims in central provinces . The countryhas also expanded cooperation with governments and internationalorganisations in surmounting the consequences of unexploded bombs andmines.
It is estimated that Vietnam needsabout 10 billion USD and more than 100 years to clear out all unexplodedordnance in the country.
Tuan said that the goalof a national programme on overcoming bomb and mine consequences is toutilise domestic and international resources to speed up the treatmentof post-war bombs and mines, minimise the impacts of bombs and mines,ensure safety for people and help victims integrate into social life.
He suggested the military attachés seek aid sources for Vietnam aswell as provide the country with equipment and technology and trainexperts and technicians serving the bomb and mine clearance task.
On behalf of foreign military attachés, Colonel Didier Oustric,Military Attaché of France, affirmed his call on governments andinternational organisations to continue effective support for theVietnamese Government and people.-VNA
