PEACE wrote on 7^th Jun, 2011 at 3:27am:


Laos has the highest concentration of unexploded cluster munitions in the world. An estimated 270 million bomblets were dropped on the country's north and east between 1964 and 1973 by US planes. About a third of these failed to explode and remain a potent hazard to this day.

A survey of nearly 8,500 villages in 2008 revealed around 50,000 people had been killed or injured by unexploded bombs since the mid-60s. This toll has risen by hundreds over the past few years, as people collecting scrap metal continue to join the list of victims.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/06/07/opinion/Helping-the-healing-process-i...


The debris from the war is so substantial and widespread the Lao government has only been able to clear about 1 per cent of the country, or about 19,000 hectares. Officials estimate it will need US$30 million a year to remove unexploded ordnance (UXO) from the war.

$30 million is still too low. 

llX wrote on 8^th Jun, 2011 at 6:38am:

llX wrote on 9^th Jun, 2011 at 3:59am:

Why would they want to do that?

The story is from 2010. The sum raised is just a drop in the bucket compared to what governments hand out, but this is donation is made on behalf of a school. I'm sure the funds were just as welcome, none the less.

http://www.stopclusterbombs.org.nz/2010/11/04/rangitoto-college-donates-to-victi...

Students at Rangitoto College in Auckland have raised NZ$4,000 (USD $3,046) for victims of cluster munitions, landmines, and other explosive remnants of war.  The donation will be handed over next week to a victim assistance organisation in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) by the Aotearoa New Zealand Cluster Munition Coalition (ANZCMC).

“We’re please that this donation can be given to people who have directly suffered from the deadly effects of cluster bombs and other explosive remnants of war,” said Mary Wareham, ANZCMC Coordinator. “We hope that it can matched by an even bigger contribution by the New Zealand government,” she added.

With over 3,000 students Rangitoto College, located on Auckland’s North Shore, is New Zealand’s largest secondary school. A mufti-day held earlier in 2010 raised NZ $4,000 (USD $3,046) through gold coin donations from students and staff. Since 2007, twenty-one Year 10 (Form 4) social studies classes at Rangitoto College have been studying the topic of landmines and cluster munitions in the fourth term of each year.

Wareham is taking the donation to Laos, where it will be handed over to the Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) located at the National Rehabilitation Center in the capital of Vientiane. COPE is the only provider of prosthetic, orthotic and rehabilitation services in Laos, servicing people affected by disability from unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other causes.

In 2009, COPE made and fitted 1,264 orthotic/prosthetic devices and 400 wheelchairs/tricycles. Approximately 40% of COPE patients have been injured by unexploded ordnance (UXO), which poses a significant problem in many villages particularly to children and people trying to make a living from collecting scrap metal.

The donation from Rangitoto College is likely to help many persons with disabilities in Laos. According to COPE, it costs US$50 to produce a prosthetic leg (below knee) so the US$3,000 donation equates to 60 new artificial legs.

The government of Laos is hosting the First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Vientiane from 9-12 November 2010.  Dozens of states are expected to attend this first formal meeting of the convention, including New Zealand, which will be represented by Hon. Georgina Te Heuheu, Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control.

Very nice. Thank for the article Larb Dip.