The Vietnam Bombs and Mines Action Support Association has established a new branch in the province of Quang Binh with the aim of accelerating effort to tackle the impact of unexploded ordnances (UXOs) and aid UXO victims. Lieutenant General Pham Ngoc Khoa, vice present of the Association, made the announcement on April 11, saying that more than 40 years after the end of the war, many areas of the province are still contaminated by UXOs, which seriously threaten the safety of local communities while hindering socio-economic development. The new branch will work together with local authorities and other social organizations to raise financial aid from foreign and domestic businesses and individuals for bomb and mine clearance missions and improving the life of UXO victims. Vietnam has signed Memoranda of Understanding regarding tackling the UXO issue with the US Government, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining and the International Centre. At the same time, the country is working with foreign partners in the field in the framework of the United Nations’ Development Program and the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus. The US army used more than 15 million tons of bombs and mines in the war in Vietnam, four times the amount used in all of World War 2. As a result, Vietnam has been listed among the countries most contaminated with UXOs. On the same day, the Association presented 40 gift packages worth $200- $500 each to assist local bomb and mine victims in the province. (VOV Apr 11)
