From the far

Laos has been a really interesting country. We spent yesterday wandering around the beautiful  Plain of Jars, a mesmerising collection of giant stone jars of which their origin remains unconfirmed. The most likely theory is that the jars were used as funereal urns to decompose bodies. However, local Laos villagers shun this belief and instead think the jars were used to brew rice whiskey. The sites are amongst the most dangerous archaeological sites in the world, given that they are surrounded by unexploded US bombs from the Secret War here over 30 years ago.

The war is perhaps the most horrific event in modern history, not least because of its sheer audacity and defiance. A clandestine war conducted by the US in complete secrecy, it was carried out in violation of the Geneva Convention and without informing its own people. In fact it was not until many, many years later that it came to light within the US that the war was even happening. Between 1964 to 1973 the US dropped more bombs on Laos, a recognised neutral country it was not officially at war with than it did on both Germany and Japan during the whole of WWII. This makes Laos the most bombed country in the history of the world. It was bombed every 8 minutes for 7 years solid.

Laos is living with the scars of this war every single day, over 30 years later. And at the current rate of clearance, it will be decades, literally, until all UXOs are cleared.

CLUSTER MUNITIONS PROBLEM

In excess of 260 million

Estimated number of sub-munitions (bombies) from cluster bombs dropped over Lao PDR between 1964 and 1973.

30%

Estimated failure rate of sub-munitions under ideal conditions.

78 million

Estimated number of sub-munitions that failed to explode.

387,645  or  0.49%

Number or percentage of estimated unexploded sub-munitions destroyed by UXO LAO from 1996 to April 2008.

Every day here villagers are being maimed and killed by bombs as they go about their daily lives, ploughing fields, planting seeds or children playing games in the streets. It is a sad fact that the children here are most at risk, not least because the unexploded bombs look very much like small balls, or fruit. And curious children like playing with balls and eating fruit. Another sad fact which puts kids at risk is that many of them still risk their lives every single day purposefully collecting scrap metal and UXO material to sell to make money for their families. They are literally risking their lives to try and make a few cents each day.

Check out MAG website for more info on the facts and what you can do to help.