International Young Scholars Workshop
(IYSW), Kyoto University
“UXO and Social-Economic Development in Lao PDR“
By Mr. Vilavong SYSAVATH
National University of Laos
Literature review
• This paper will present an overview of UXO impact on social development
in Lao PDR and its cause of unacceptable harm in the civilians.
• The literature review then consider UXO is cause of injured and pose a
significant barrier to poverty reduction and development and more
specifically at the humanitarian mine action sector looking at the main
products of UXO action; clearance, and the victim assistance (VA).
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the
Government of Lao PDR (GoL) recognize UXO pollution as cross cutting
issue in reducing poverty and achieving the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs).
When the bombs fell in Lao PDR
• During the Indochina conflict between 1964 - 1973, Lao was the
site of extensive aerial bombings and concentrated ground battles.
• More than 580,000 bombing missions dropped over two million
tons of ordnance on the country making it.
• Laos is the most heavily bombed country, per capita, in history.
• Every year more than 300 people were died and injured by UXO
National UXO Impact Map VS. Poverty Map
Impact Map
72 poor districts of which
47 are considered as the
poorest ones (of highest
priority)
Poor District Map
Snapshot of the UXO Issue in Lao PDR
• Approximately 25% of villages in Laos are contaminated with
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)
• More than 580,000 bombing missions were conducted over Laos
• Over 2 million tons of ordnance were dropped on Laos between 1964
and 1973
• Cluster sub-munitions or ‘Bombies’ (as they are known locally) are the
most common form of UXO remaining
• Up to 30% failed to detonate
• Approximately 80 million unexploded bombies remained in Laos after
the war
• 14 out of 17 provinces of Laos suffer from UXO contamination
• There are approximately 300 new casualties each year.
BLU 3
BLU 61
BLU18
BLU 26
Overview
• Lao is an under-developed country in which the majority of the
population are still living a subsistence farming based lifestyle.
• in its most fundamental form, the impact of UXO contamination
stops food production
• Today communities cannot access the agricultural land they need
and restricts many aspects of commodity development and nation
building, as the
• UXO prolongs the conditions of poverty
• the government of Lao recognizes this and see UXO clearance as a
key development priority
• The institution such as Work Bank also acknowledge this link and
content that GDP growth is retarded significantly by the present of
pervasive and permanent UXO problem
Planning for the Future….
Lao PDR is likely to see a major expansion in four key
industrial sectors
–
–
–
–
Agriculture & Forest Plantations
Mining
Transportation
Mining and Hydropower Generation
Agriculture Sector
Plan for Agriculture in 2020 predicts expansion will be constrained by suitable
soils, protected areas, steep slopes and future hydropower projects
Mining
Potential for rapid expansion following recent ending of three year Government
moratorium on new mining concessions. Likelihood of future bauxite strip mining
in Boloven plateau area requiring hundreds of square kilometers of clearance with
associated resettlement and additional demand for new hydropower projects.
Transportation Sector
Major Economic Corridors being constructed through Savannakhet from Thailand
to Vietnam & through Northern Laos up to China with strong support from
ADB/World Bank
Hydropower Sector
“The Battery of South East Asia”
“and…”
Transportation
Major Economic Corridors being
constructed through Savannakhet from
Thailand to Vietnam & through Northern
Laos up to China with strong support
from ADB/World Bank
Mining
Potential for rapid expansion following
recent ending of three year Government
moratorium on new mining concessions.
Likelihood of future bauxite strip mining
in Boloven plateau area requiring
hundreds of square kilometers of
clearance with associated resettlement
and additional demand for new
hydropower projects.
How does UXO hold back Social-Economic
Development?
The presence of UXO can lead to the following restrictions:
• Today cluster sub-munitions and other unexploded ordnance (UXO)
continue to kill and injure around 300 people a year. Their presence
now impacts on the socio-economic development of the country,
preventing access to agricultural land and increasing the costs, through
land clearance, of all development projects such as
• Impact on the agricultural sector
• Impact on Infrastructure building as: building schools and roads.
• hydroelectric power, mining operation, forestry and tourisms,
etc…
Effects of the UXO on civilian
• According to the National Survey of
UXO Victims and Accidents, phase 1,
1964 – 2008. this has yielded detail of :
• 50,136 casualties recorded.
• 26 % of all casualties were children 18
years old and below
• About 60% (30,000) occurred in the
decade 1964 to 1973
• About 60% of all casualties (30,000)
were killed in the accident and 40%
(20,000) were injured
Devices Causing Accidents: post-conflict
Other
14.6
Fuse
1.64
unknown
4.91
Big bomb
2.81
White phosphor
0.42
Rocket
4.99
Small bomb
2.14
Bombie
28.79
Artillery shell
9.4
Mortar
6.63
Grenade
8.73
Mine
14.94
UXO accident from 2009 - 2011
Total accident in time: 275 times
Year
Injured
Killed
Total (people)
2009
110
56
166
2010
80
37
117
2011 (Jan-June)
60
15
75
80
110
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
56
37
60
15
2009
2010
2011 (June)
Injured
Killed
Land Released (TS & Clearance) Since 1996 – June 2011
Total 27,133 Ha
Land Cleared
Agriculture land
Development land
8,237 Ha
18,896 Ha
By 2009 = 4,144 ha, and 2010 = 4,062 ha
(both including the commercial clearance)
TOTAL UXO DESTROYED
Clearance and Roving Operation
(01 January 1996 to June 2011)
Number of UXO Destroy via TS, Roving & Clearance , total: 1,305,375 items
760,349
532,294
Bombs
Bombies
Mine
Other UXO
6,131
Bombs
6,601
Bombies
Mine
Other UXO
Financial Contributions to the UXO Sector - 2006 to 2010
(excluding commercial companies)
2010 Funding increase
16% from 2009 Levels
2007 Funding declined
1.5% from 2006 Levels
2008 Funding declined
22% from 2007 Levels
Government has been doing for solving UXO problem
•
1975 Lao government did clear and destroy UXO by Lao Army for building the
houses, public land, agriculture area and other land
•
1994 Lao government allowed MAG established in Xieng Khouang province.
•
1995 Lao government, UNDP and UNICEF established Trust Fund UXO Lao
•
1996 Lao government established UXO Lao
– Coordination
– Operation in 9 UXO contamination provinces
•
2004 Lao government adopted National Strategic Plan 2003 – 2013
•
2006 Lao government established National Regulatory Authority for UXO/Mine
Action Sector in Lao PDR
The Oslo Process on the Convention on the
Cluster Munitions
• In February 2007, 46 governments met in Oslo to endorse a call by
Norwegian Foreign Minister to conclude a new treaty in 2008 that
prohibits the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions
that cause unacceptable harm to civilians and provides adequate resources
to assist survivors and clear contaminated areas.
• In May 2008, the Convention on Cluster Munitions was negotiated and
adopted by 107 countries at the Dublin conference.
• The treaty was first opened for signature on 3 December 2008 at the
signing conference in Oslo, Norway where 94 countries signed the treaty
• Lao PDR was the second country to sign the CCM on 3 December 2008,
after the host country Norway, and ratify it four months later in March
2009
• in August 1th this treaty became international binding law for all states
parties.
Lao Government’s strategy objective
• Reduce the number of UXO casualties from 300 to less than 75
per year
• Ensure that the medical and rehabilitation needs of all UXO
Survivors are met in line with treaty obligations
• Release priority land and clear UXO in accordance with
National Standards and treaty obligations
• Ensure effective leadership, coordination and implementation of
the national programme
• Establish sustainable national capacity fully integrated into the
regular set-up of the Government
• Meet international treaty obligations
Lao PDR’s Millennium Development Goal 9
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender and empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV-AIDs, malaria and other diseases
ensure environmental sustainability
Develop a global partnership for development
Reduce the impact of UXO
MDG9
The Government, UN and development partners signed an
MDG Compact during the First Meeting of the Stats Parties
to the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Vientiane in
November 2010, to reaffirm their commitment to achieving
the MDGs, at the Round Table Meeting in October 2010.
The Compact also includes a localized MDG 9, to reduce
the impact of UXO. With 41 out of 46 of the poorest districts
contaminated by UXO the correlation between UXO and
poverty is clear to see. The UN estimates that $300 million
will be required over the next decade to achieve the targets.
Indicator for MDG9
• Target 1: Ensure the complete clearance of UXO from priority
/ high value agricultural land by 2020
Number of hectares released from UXO contamination
approximately 600,000 ha
• Target 2: Reduce substantially the number of casualties as a
result of UXO incidents to 75 people/year
Number of casualties reported as a result of UXO incidents
• Target 3: Ensure that the medical and rehabilitation needs of
all UXO survivors are met in line with treaty obligations under
the Convention on Cluster Munitions
Provision of proper assistance to UXO survivors
CHALLENGES
•
•
•
•
•
•
More safety for development
To complete clearance of basic agriculture land by 2015
Need to speed up clearance by adding of new techniques
Funding and donating to UXO works
Plan to complete UXO clearing by 2020
For year 2011 UXO Sector need funding for $USD
30,000,000
• At a 1MSP prepatory meeting in Geneva the NRA & UNDP
called for $USD 120 - 150 million per annum over the next 5
years
Conclusion
• Land denied
• Agriculture constrained
• Forestry management disrupted
• People, livestock, wildlife killed
• Food and livelihood vulnerability
• Development slowed down, made more
expensive and more difficult.
Thank you very much
No questions/comments