International Young Scholars Workshop (IYSW), Kyoto University

“UXO and Social-Economic Development in Lao PDR“

By Mr. Vilavong SYSAVATHNational 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

72 poor districts of which47 are considered as the poorest ones (of highest priority)

Impact Map 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 26

BLU 61

BLU18

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 SectorPlan 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 SectorMajor 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…”

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.

TransportationMajor Economic Corridors being constructed

through Savannakhet from Thailand to Vietnam & through Northern Laos up to China

with strong support from ADB/World Bank

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…

• 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

Effects of the UXO on civilian

Devices Causing Accidents: post-conflict

unknown4.91 Big bomb

2.81Small bomb

2.14

Bombie 28.79

Mine14.94

Grenade 8.73

Mortar 6.63

Artillery shell9.4

Rocket4.99

White phosphor 0.42

Fuse1.64

Other 14.6

UXO accident from 2009 - 2011Total accident in time: 275 times

20092010

2011 (June)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140 110 80

6056

37

15

Injured Killed

Year Injured Killed Total (people)

2009 110 56 166

2010 80 37 117

2011 (Jan-June) 60 15 75

Land Released (TS & Clearance) Since 1996 – June 2011 Total 27,133 Ha

18,896 Ha

8,237 Ha

Land Cleared

Agriculture land Development land

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

Bombs Bombies Mine Other UXO

6,131

532,294

6,601

760,349

Series1

Financial Contributions to the UXO Sector - 2006 to 2010 (excluding commercial companies)

2007 Funding declined 1.5% from 2006 Levels 2008 Funding declined

22% from 2007 Levels

2010 Funding increase 16% from 2009 Levels

• 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

Government has been doing for solving UXO problem

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. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

2. Achieve universal primary education

3. Promote gender and empower women

4. Reduce child mortality

5. Improve maternal health

6. Combat HIV-AIDs, malaria and other diseases

7. ensure environmental sustainability

8. Develop a global partnership for development

9. 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

• Land denied • Agriculture constrained• Forestry management disrupted• People, livestock, wildlife killed• Food and livelihood vulnerability• Development slowed down, made more expensive and more difficult.

Conclusion

Thank you very muchNo questions/comments