1 UXO Vulnerability and Poverty Eradication ERI, STEA, Lao PDR Sub-regional Conference on Poverty Environment Nexus, June 21 – 22, 2006, Vientiane, Lao PDR

2 22% of villages in Lao PDR are contaminated with UXOs Percent of Villages in District Having UXO problems UXO problem High UXO problem

3  Approximately 580,000 aerial bombing missions dropped over two million tonnes of explosive ordnance.  Around 30% of explosives failed to function  15 of the country’s 18 provinces were significantly contaminated  22% of villages reported a presence of UXO  Over 50% of all agricultural land

4 Numbers of UXOs found by villagers during their daily activity within a year in 6 villages VillageNumber of UXOs found per year Pak Xay 500 La Kai 1,800 Kroung13,000 Bak10,000 Ta Lang Mai 3,800 Trak10,000

5 UXO contamination is correlated with higher district poverty  UXO contamination is one of the main causes of poverty and restricts the local potentials to increase their livelihood condition.

6 Correlation between UXO Contamination and Key Indicators

7 Shares of total population in 6 villages in Kaleum district Many remote districts in the South are mostly populated by small ethnic groups with special difficulties (Lao Theung) UXOs are an additional issue they have to cope with

8 Selected Villages: Pak Xay, La Kai, Kroung, Bak, Proy, Trak In Kaleum, high contamination is around district town

9 In UXO affected villages, swidden agriculture is often one of the least dangerous activities Where are UXOs in villages? What do they generate? –In swiddens: limited risk because UXOs explode when fire and no plowing –In paddy fields: Risk when plowing, impossible to open new paddy field unless decontamination –Along rivers: Risk when fishing and river water use and collection –In village center & along roads: Risk in daily activities, eg. cooking, impossible to build new school unless decontamination –In forests: Limited risks, because people know location

10 UXO impact nowadays is less risks of accident than limitations of livelihoods  Since the first mission of UXO LAO officials in late 1997, UXO caused accidents have significantly reduced. However, villagers are still having a high UXO risks.

11 There are new villages in UXO-affected areas in the South VillageOriginal or new immigrated Original villagesYear of immigr ation Distance from original Reason of immigration Pak XayNew removedA Lem and Cha Ang19753 days by footAvoiding from slope area and there was some degree of UXO risks. La KaiOriginal KroungNew removedTa Xing minutesFollow Resettlement plan of Kaleum District BakNew removedHouay Pak Xai minutes ProyNew removedProy Neua, Proy Tai, Lang Kong minutesFollow Resettlement plan of Kaleum District TrakOrigional

12 Table 3.10 Past & Current Trends in Six Villages Surveyed Village New or old village Migrated from east, consolida ted village Old village Migrated from nearby village Migrated recently from nearby, consolidate d village Old village UXO impact Low/Mod erate Moderat e HighSevere Moderate /High Livelihood s Today Paddy & livestock dvt Seasona l migratio n Metal scrap NTFPs Outmigratio n Metal scrap Gold panning Tomorr ow SawmillTourismFruit trees Paddy dvt Source : PEN village survey (ERI). HH = household. Village community are looking for alternative livelihood sources  Villagers have adapted to UXO contamination over the last decades

13 Recommendations  UXO clearance can only be very slow but deserves increased international assistance as a win-win poverty environment solution.  In UXO affected districts, diversified income generation should be supported  Improved rural water supply is an important need in UXO affected villages  Resettlement policy in UXO affected areas (South) should take full account of risks related to UXOs