Vietnam Outlines Map of Wartime UXO

Vietnam has completed the first phase of a national map that outlines mines and unexploded ordnances (UXO) left over from past wars after years of surveys and clearance efforts, the newswire VnExpress reported, citing the Ministry of Defense. The ministry will update the map annually, according to Nguyen Chi Vinh, deputy minister of Defense. Drawing up the map is particularly difficult due to the variety of weapons used in past wars but helps minimize detonation accidents, Vinh said, adding that the map will also help determine the technology and approach needed for effective clearance, in addition to identifying the category of bombs and landmines in each specific area. Recent survey results show that Vietnam has about 6.1 million hectares (over 18%) of land that is still littered with mines and UXOs. Vinh said that. Many countries have supported Vietnam in clearing unexploded bombs and mines. The latest deal was made on June 14 when South Korea decided to offer $20 million in non-refundable aid to clear 8,000 hectares of former battlefields in the central provinces of Quang Binh and Binh Dinh. The project is scheduled to begin in the second half of the year and run through 2020. Concerning war consequence solving, the U.S. has financed Vietnam more than $80 million to carry out a dioxin cleanup project at Danang airport which was formerly used as military base of American troops, marking Washington’s first aid on solving war aftermaths in the former foe. According to a preliminary survey in 2002, nearly 9,300 communes with 6.6 million hectares of land across Vietnam were contaminated with UXOs, accounting for 21.12% of the country’s land area; the central region is the most contaminated. Mines claim average 1,535 lives and cause injury to 2,272 others annually. Vietnam spends over VND1 trillion ($44 million) annually on demining and hundreds of billions of dong for treatment, rehabilitation, vocational training and resettlement for the victims of UXOs, according to government website. (VnExpress.net June 15, Tien Phong June 15)