One day before Veteran’s Day, I went on the UXO Lao field trip. I was a little nervous reading the consent form, since I had to give them my blood type (just in case there was an accident), but I am happy to report that I returned with all my limbs and some amazing footage!
First, I was able to see cluster munitions that had been uncovered and prepared for removal and destruction. According to Edwin Faigmane, UXO Lao Programme Specialist, during the Vietnam War, the United States dropped over 270 million cluster bombs (more commonly called “bombies” in Laos), but approximately 30% (or 80 million) did not detonate and remain hazards for civilians, women, children and the environment. Detecting the anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions is a long, tedious process and UXO Lao is only able to remove about .5% each year. At the current rate and level of funding, it will take decades to remove all the UXOs (un-exploded ordinances) in Laos. One innovative solution civilians are considering to speed up the process is to sue the cluster munitions producers for the munitions’ failure to detonate upon impact! With a failure rate if 30%, they may have a legitimate case!
Next, the UXO Lao personnel exploded two types of munitions for us to see. The first was a pile of cluster bombs. The twenty explosions echoed across the Laotian plain and sent a huge black cloud across the valley. The second type was a white phosphorous bomb, which sent a huge flame and white plume into the sky. I knew teh explosions were coming, but I still jumped a little bit at the sound and force.
After the explosions, I spoke with two U.S. veterans who were also on the field trip. The first, Larry, was a conscientious objector that was drafted as a doctor in Vietnam. He explained that he had to operate on a soldier that lost two legs from stepping on a landmine and he’s never forgotten the sound of the bomb explosions. Next, as we looked at the Cluster Munitions exhibition, Jack’s eyes started to water. “This is hard to watch. I can’t imagine what this would be like to see the [bombies] rain down on you and your children”.
When I see the pock-marked land, hear the explosions and feel the sad energy of the bombie-ridden land, it’s hard to understand the U.S.’s hesitance to sign the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. I think Larry put it best when he said, the U.S. has a “moral and spiritual responsibility” to remove all the landmines and bombs we’ve dropped in other countries.
I know the gun lobbyists and weapons manufacturers want to protect their “right to bear arms”, but the people, women, children and other species also have a right to bear arms–their own.
-Windy Borman
Director/Producer, The Eyes of Thailand
