Laos looks to speed up UXO clearance

Laos is looking for ways to speed up the clearance of unexplored ordnance (UXO) throughout the country, National Regulatory Authority (NRA) Director Mr Phoukhieo Chanthasomboun said on Monday.

“We're currently consulting with Japan about the possibility of using that country's vehicles for UXO clearance operations in Laos,” he said.

The NRA has also sent a team to visit Cambodia to observe UXO clearance operations involving similar specially-equipped vehicles.

If Laos receives support in the form of vehicles from Japan, UXO clearance in Laos may proceed faster, Mr Phoukhieo explained.

“With these vehicles we will be able to clear large areas of land like rice fields and school or irrigation construction projects much faster,” he said.

Revolving teams of UXO clearance workers will continue to work in villages contaminated with UXO and in places the vehicles cannot access, including mountainous areas.

Each UXO clearance vehicle uses about 20 litres of petrol to clear one hectare of land in an hour, he said.
Under the Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme (UXO Lao), it currently takes a team of 9-11 people almost two months to clear one hectare of land.

UXO Lao currently spends about US$1,800 to US$2,500 per hectare, depending on the level of contamination.
Japan has already provided neighbouring Cambodia with around 40 vehicles for clearance activities.
In addition to the vehicles, Laos is also looking to involve specially-trained dogs in UXO clearance operations, according to the NRA.

Many NGOs, including Norwegian People's Aid in Saravan province, are hopeful of using dogs in their clearance operations.

Mr Phoukhieo said dogs can work very fast to find bombs because they can detect the gunpowder in UXO.
UXO clearance is slow at present because workers have difficulty differentiating UXO from other iron located underground, including burst shells, he said.

More than 30,000 hectares of land were cleared between 1996 and May 2011.

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, approximately 30 percent did not detonate.

During this time, a total of 580,000 deadly bombing missions were conducted. That's one bombing mission every eight minutes around the clock for nine years.

By Khonesavanh Latsaphao 
(Latest Update August 02, 2011)