Japan grants more than US$700, 000 for Lao UXO clearance

 (KPL) Government of Japan has agreed to provide a grant total US$744,680 in support of UXO Lao operations in southern provinces of Saravane and Sekong, for 2011.

The grant contract was signed in Vientiane Capital, on 25 March between the Director of Lao National UXO, Mr. Bounpone Sayasenh and Ambassador of Japan to the Lao PDR, Ms. Junko Yokota.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Mrs. Onchanh Thammavong, UNDP resident representative a.i Ms. Kyoko Yokosuka and representatives from Lao Government.

Japan is one of the largest donors to the UXO Lao. The Japanese Government has provided more than US$8.7 million to the UXO Lao from 2006, supporting operation in Saravane, Sekong, Attapeu and Xiengkhouang provinces.

Since 1996, the UXO Lao has cleared more than 19,185 hectares of land, including 16,054 hectares of agricultural land with more than US$3.3 million beneficiaries.

It has also visited 8,494 villages, conducting community awareness activities on the dangers of UXO to more than 2,153,000 villagers. In the process of conducting operation, it has destroyed more than 973,274 items of UXO, of which 46 per cent are sub munitions from cluster bombs.

The UXO Lao currently receives support from donor countries including Australia, Germany, European Commission, Japan, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America. It also received support from private foundations of World Without Mines (WWM) and Intrepid Foundation.

Mme Onchanh expressed thanks the Japanese Government and people for providing financial support of UXOs clearance and human saving over the past five years.
The problem of UXOs pose a threat for Lao people and more than 300 Lao people per year fall the UXO victims.

The UXOs is also a barrier for agriculture production and socio-economic development.
“This grant is a great contribution to the reduction poverty programme,” she added.
Ambassador of Japan to Lao PDR Ms. Junko Yokota expected that, “today’s grant assistance will enable the UXO Lao to continue to implement their activities such as UXO clearance, survey tasks and capacity building of their staff in Saravane and Sekong provinces”.

“It will contribute not only to reducing the number of human casualties but also increasing the amount of the land available for agricultural production and other socio-economic activities in the two provinces,” she said.

“As you know, the first meeting of state parties of the Convention on Cluster Munitions was held in Vientiane last year. I hope that our grant assistance this time will contribute to the effort of Lao Government in meeting the legal obligations under the Convention, leading to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals until 2015,” she added.

Although Japan is now facing the unprecedented difficulty caused by the earthquake and tsunami, the government and people of Japan are united to overcome the hard time. On behalf people of Japan, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere gratitude to the government and people of Lao PDR and people of all other nation for their heartfelt inquiries and sympathies which have been a great consolation and encouragement to not only the families of victims but also the entire society of Japan, she added.

Source: KPL Lao News Agency

Lao Army officers complete UXO clearance

(KPL) Thirty-five Lao military officers from the Lao People’s Army have completed a short-term intensive training course on Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Cooperation.
The closing ceremony was held at the 588 Engineering Battalion, Vientiane Capital yesterday.
The certificates were presented by Indian ambassador to the Lao PDR, Dr. Jitendra Nath Misra.

The purpose of the training course was to upgrade knowledge and skills of Lao People’s Army personnel who are involved in the task of detection, clearance and destruction of UXOs which are remnants of the war in the Lao PDR.

This will greatly help the Lao people to minimise and subsequently eradicate the risks and dangers of UXOs.
Commencing on 22 February, the course was conducted by the Indian Army.

Dr. Misra said that, “I warmly congratulated the trainees for having successfully completed this course”.
“With the conclusion of this capsule, an important event in the celebrations of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and the Lao PDR has come to a conclusion. This capsule is a key contribution to the 55th anniversary celebrations. I thank the Lao People’s Army for being generous hosts and the Indian Army Team for the hard work they have put in,” said Dr. Misra.

He was sure that the trainees would make an important contribution to the efforts on clearance of mine, explosives and UXOs in Laos. Given the deadly legacy of UXOs and the continuing loss of lives, I am sure that this training will be valued, because every life saved is precious.

Dr. Misra added that this training capsule was a fine example of the strengthening of military-to-military ties between our two counties.

The Indian Army is very happy to make a contribution to the development of the human resource base of the Lao People’s Army.

This endeavour will resonate not only in the military domain, but in the wider relationship as well.
At the closing ceremony, Deputy Chief of the Army General Department B.G Souvone Leuangbounmy expressed his appreciation and thanks to the government of India as well as the Indian Defence Forces which have always continued to support and assistance the Lao PDR by providing materials and moral support since the day our two countries established the diplomatic ties on 2 February 1956.

Since 1995, the Indian Defence Forces have sent the Indian Army Training Team to teach English, military tactics and computer skills to the Lao People’s Army and also provided scholarships to Lao military personnel to train and study in India.
Source: KPL Lao News Agency