(VOVWORLD) - The northern border province of Lang Son has many bombs, mines, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) left by the war which are still causing tragic accidents and are a serious threat to production and people's lives. With the support of the State and international organizations, Lang Son has been making efforts to reduce the problem.
 Vietnam clears 40,000-50,000 ha of UXO-contaminated areas each year using domestic sources and support from the international community. (Photo: daidoanket.vn) |
The Lang Son administration and Military Command have integrated bomb and land mine clearance into socio-economic development and national defense missions.
Colonel Nguyen Van Huong, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the provincial Military Command, said, “We consider it a very important task to advise the local administration on carrying out UXO clearance in border areas. But due to limited budget, progress has fallen short of expectations. We hope to obtain more financial resources for this effort.”
Luong Trong Quynh, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said Lang Son has prioritized bomb and mine clearance.
Many projects have been implemented but due to financial constraints, only 7,000 out of 42,000 contaminated hectares have been cleared.
“As a mountain border locality with many financial difficulties, Lang Son will need 100 million USD to clear the remaining contaminated areas. We hope the Ministry of National Defense, other agencies, and international organizations will help us complete this mission for socio-economic development,” said Quynh.
 Nguyen Van Nghiep, Deputy Director General of the VNMAC. (Photo: qdnd.vn) |
A recent field trip to several communes by the Vietnam National Mine Action Center and the UK’s HALO Trust revealed a clear danger to people's lives from UXOs affected by deterioration from time, natural erosion, and sedimentation.
Nguyen Van Nghiep, Deputy Director General of the Mine Action Center, said it’s essential to coordinate with international organizations like the HALO Trust and MAG to survey the contaminated areas and find new sources of funding.
According to Nghiep, “The HALO Trust will be entitled to do the clearance in Lang Son. Work will likely begin in the third quarter of this year.”
Simon Conway, the HALO Trust's Director of Capabilities, said, "HALO Trust brings considerably experience of clearing land in dense vegetation and in mountain areas. We look forward to working closely with the Vietnamese military to clear the site."
The upcoming project by HALO Trust is expected to give Lang Son province more areas for infrastructure construction, create socio-economic development resources, and ensure national defense and security in the locality.