THE UXO PROBLEM
Lao PDR has the unwanted distinction of being per capita the most heavily bombed nation in the world. During the second Indochina conflict, the country was the scene of extensive ground battles and intense aerial bombardment. More than half a million US bombing missions were carried out between the years 1964 to 1973, delivering more than two million tons of explosive ordnance on the country. This includes more than 266 million anti-personnel sub-munitions (known as “bombies” in Lao) released from cluster bombs.
Significant land battles, including those during the war for independence during the French colonial era, the Second World War, and between the Pathet Lao and the Royal Lao forces, also contributed vast quantities of unexploded heavy bombs, rockets, grenades, artillery munitions, mortars, anti-personnel landmines, and improvised explosive devices. It is estimated that up to 30% of all ordnance did not explode. Such unexploded ordnance (UXO) continues to remain in the ground, maiming and killing people, and hindering socio-economic development and food security.
