Vietnam

The Landmine Problem

Vietnam is peppered with landmines and UXO (unexploded ordinance) from the conflict in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. All 61 provinces are still contaminated by UXO and mines which cover as much as 20 percent of Vietnamese soil according to BOMICO. Although no comprehensive data on mine/UXO casualties is present, rough estimates state that 1,110 to 2,000 Vietnamese are killed annually. This has given Vietnam perhaps the largest proportion of amputees in the world. Causes of recent casualties include scrap metal collection, “bombhunting,” and tampering with ordnance and to a lesser degree farming, tending livestock, and collection of firewood and water. Yearly casualties are on the rise which can be attributed to the opening of new land along the Ho Chi Minh Highway and a higher sale price for scrap metal.

Humanitarian Demining Programs

A national strategy on mine action in Vietnam has not been developed yet. This has led to less efficient allocation of resources and slower demining progress. The Ministry of Defense is in charge of all military security aspects and shares responsibility for landmine policy with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All international organizations are required to check with the Vietnamese Army before conducting any demining activities even in cases where clearance requests come straight from a community. Mine Risk Education (MRE) has gone well with over 22,900 people attending MRE sessions during the year.

In 2003, seven international clearance organizations cleared 2.77 million square meters of land in the three central provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue. These humanitarian groups have converted 12 million square meters of heavily contaminated Vietnamese soil back to usable land since 1998. Despite these notable endeavors 66,578 million square meters of land is still infected with UXO and mines.