Staff working for the National Unexploded Ordnance Programme (UXO Lao) will be able to remove unexploded devices more quickly if Japan can provide special earthmovers to make the job easier.
Director of the National Regulatory Authority for UXO/Mine Sectors in Laos told Lao media last week the earthmovers could be used to clear large areas of land.
Clearers will work in villages known to be contaminated with UXO, and also in places where the earthmovers cannot go, such as steep hillsides.
“Japan is interested in providing vehicles for UXO clearance but we still don’t know to what extent,” Mr Phoukhiew Chanthasomboun said.
Cambodia already has about 40 vehicles for use in UXO clearance that have been provided by Japan.
Each of the earthmovers consumes 20 litres of fuel to clear one hectare of land per hour.
UXO Lao currently employs 9-11 people to clear one hectare of land, but it takes them almost two months to finish the job.
It costs US$1,800 to US$2,500 to clear one hectare of land, depending on much UXO is present.
Last week media personnel visited a contaminated area in Thongpiew village, Saravan province, to review clearance work there.
Provincial Coordinator Mr Liemmixay Keokangmeuang said this area opened up for clearance on Monday last week, and was about 23,800 square metres in area.
It would take nine clearers 25 days to locate and detonate UXO on this site, he said.
This site was relatively easy to clear because it was flat, agricultural land. After two days, 15 sub-munitions had been located.
It is estimated that out of the 2 million tonnes of bombs, including 288 million cluster bombs that were dropped on Laos between 1964 and 1973 during the Indochina War, some 30 percent did not detonate.
During this time, a total of 580,000 deadly bombing missions were conducted by US warplanes. That’s equivalent to one bombing mission every eight minutes around the clock for nine years.
Source: Vientiane Times
By Khonesavanh Latsaphao
February 21, 2011
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