Vietnam persists with post-war bomb and mine recovery efforts

A national action programme known as Programme 504 on dealing with post-war bomb and mine consequences during 2010-2025 was adopted by the Prime Minster in 2010 in the aim of mobilizing domestic and foreign resources for these efforts. 

Under the programme during 2010-2015, a map of bomb, mine and UXO contamination was drawn and a centre was established to manage data of bomb and mine victims and contamination situation.

More than 6.1 million ha of land or 18.71% of Vietnam’s total area spreading over 63 cities and provinces across the country are contaminated with roughly 800,000 tonnes of bombs, mines and unexploded ordnances (UXO) left by wars with the central region being the hardest hit.

Between 1975 and now, bombs and mines killed more than 40,000 people and injured 60,000 others. The country has planned to clear around 800,000 ha of bomb-and mine-polluted land for the 2016-2025 period.

In March 2018, the Ministry of National Defence announced a decision on the establishment of the Office of the Standing Agency of the National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-war Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences (Office 701).

The office was set up following the Prime Minister’s Decision 701 dated May 24, 2017 on the Settlement of Post-war Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences. 

The office is assigned the task of working with domestic and foreign individuals and organisations promote activities regarding the settlement of the consequences of bombs, mines and toxic chemicals left over from the war, thereby ensuring the safety of people and the environment.

According to Deputy Defence Minister, Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyen Chi Vinh, the office will cooperate with ministries, agencies and localities to announce the completion of a project on dioxin remediation in Bien Hoa airport, launch identical projects, and especially expediting the execution of policies on Agent Orange/Dioxin victims. 

Along with Vietnam’s bomb and mine recovery efforts, international donors and non-governmental organizations have provided equipment and financial aid to help the country with the settlement of bomb and mine consequences.

It is estimated that the country will take more than a century to deactivate all bombs and mines with an estimated cost of more than US$10 billion spent on resettlement and social welfare work in danger zones. 

Overcoming the consequences of post-war bombs and mines is considered a burning issue for many countries around the world, including Vietnam.

Globally, April 4th is observed as International Mine Awareness Day. Themed “Advancing Protection, Peace and Development”, this year’s celebration indicates a high aspiration for a world without bombs and mines for peace and development worldwide.

An estimated 100 million people have been victims of landmines across the globe. Every year at least 2,000 people are injured by landmine explosion, half of them are children.

The number of children injured by landmines and other UXOs has steadily increased worldwide. Handicap International identified that children can end up scarred physically and mentally.

So far 164 countries are signatories of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2000 and later amended which annexed with a Protocol on Anti-personnel Mines and a Convention on Conventional Weapons.

As many as 118 countries joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions, and 125 countries complied with the 5th Convention on Explosive Remnants of War.