ERW and Quang Tri Province

Lasting from 1954 to 1975, the Vietnam War had a devastating impact on the Vietnamese population. During the war the US deployed over 15 million tones of airdropped bombs and munitions. These munitions have had a lasting impact on the Vietnamese population as approximately 10% of the arms failed to properly function on impact (Source: US Department of Defense), leaving tons and tons of undetonated bombs littered around Vietnam. Since the end of the war these undetonated munitions, also referred to as ‘explosive remnants of war’ have resulted in over 100 000 casualties, leaving an imprint of injury and death over 3 decades after the war. In close proximity to the demilitarized zone which divided North and South Vietnam, Quang Tri Province was one of the most heavily bombed areas during the war, as over 350 000 tons of munitions were deployed in Quang Tri Province alone. Approximately 83% of total area remains contaminated by unexploded ordnance (UXO) from the war.

Such a high contamination rate has resulted in over 7000 casualties in Quang Tri Province, with more than 2600 fatalities and thousands more permanently disabled. Disability and death have not been the only consequences of UXO, as contamination has also proven to be a serious detriment to development, rendering much of the land useless. 

Tireless efforts have been put forth by numerous participants to rid Quang Tri Province of the many problems caused by UXO. The provincial army and many local residents were mobilized immediately after the war to conduct UXO clearance operations. However in 1996, with the assistance of international organizations, the provincial government was able to expand their efforts to address issues associated with UXO. Such efforts have been defined as ‘humanitarian mine action’, as they not only aim to clear UXO but also to educate local people on the dangers of explosive remnants of war, and address the many
hardships experienced by UXO survivors.