Much effort needed to overcome consequences of post-war bombs and mines

PANO – Documentaries about children in peacetime learning how to cope with bombs and mines, innocent child victims having body parts amputated, or the crying of those who lost their children to unexploded ordnance (UXO), touched the hearts of the audience at the exchange, “Joining hands to overcoming the consequences of post-war bombs and mines” on March 13th at Hanoi Opera House.

Present at the exchange were former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan, Minister of National Defence General Phung Quang Thanh, Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Mrs. Pham Thi Hai Chuyen, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh Deputy Defence Minister, victims of bombs and mines, those who have been risking their lives to clear bombs and mines for people’s safety, and international friends.

Jointly organized by the Steering Board of the National Mine Action Program (Program 504) and the Vietnam Television, the program was to send Vietnam’s green message to international friends and to call more support from foreign governments and international organizations to Vietnamese State and people’s efforts to overcome consequences of bombs and mines left by the wars.

The war has ended nearly 4 decades ago, but its consequences still have tremendous impacts on people’s lives. Post-war bombs and mines could still kill or injure many more people.

During the exchange, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thai Hoa, a teacher from Quang Tri province which is seriously contaminated with bombs and mines, touched the audience’s hearts by her story of innocent children who learnt how to distinguish and cope with bombs, mines and UXOs left by the wars. She recalled the time when two of her students were killed and another injured by a bomb which they had thought to be a toy. The image of students limping to school urged her and her collages to join the project to help students identify bombs, mines and UXOs to minimise losses.

Hoa hoped that the land would be soon decontaminated and ill-fated children in Central Highlands would receive more sympathy from the community.

The exchange screened a documentary about those who have reclaimed contaminated land and collected bombs and mines to revive contaminated soil for cultivation. Stories about sappers who had braved danger to clear bombs, mines and UXOs helped the audience have deep understanding about such a dangerous mission.

It is estimated that it takes 3 centuries for Vietnam to clean all land contaminated with bombs, mines and UXOs left from the wars and the job would cost US$ 10 billion.

Over the past years, Vietnam has been doing its utmost efforts to mobilize all sources to ensure safety for daily life of local people and liberate more land for socio-economic development. It applied initiatives and programs to mobilize international support for the effort, however just over 2% of contaminated land was cleared. That’s why U.S. veterans who came back to Vietnam admit that, “For Americans, war ended long time ago, however for Vietnamese it will have ended for very long.”

Vietnam plans to raise VND 14 trillion for activities of bomb and mine clearance. It hoped to receive more assistance from international community to Program 504. A support centre will be soon put into operation to mobilize the whole community to join hands to clear remaining contaminated land for socio-economic development and people’s safety.

Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee thanked international friends for their supports to Vietnam in overcoming consequences of post-war bombs and mines, and encouraged them to provide with more support and assistance to this cause.

At the exchange, businesses and banks granted billions of VND for the program on overcoming consequences of post-war bombs and mines.