The Vietnam War ended half a century ago, but American weapons from this time still kill people. Unexploded bombs rained by American troops are covered with large parts of Vietnam and neighbors Cambodia and Laos. They have killed tens of thousands since the end of the fights and mutilated much more.
People have been working on clearing these bombs for decades, but experts say it can take another 100 years To end the job. Parts of Cambodia are also scattered with landmines Conflicts This was followed by the Vietnam War. The United States are a large part of the cleanup and have published more than 750 million US dollars In the past three decades to clear out the non -exploded ammunition in the three countries.
But this financing has come to a standstill.
The Foreign Ministry said on Saturday Exposition of the global mining clearing programs at least three months. This was followed by an announcement by the Trump administration on comprehensive breaks of US foreign assistance. These movements are passed through many parts of the world in which the United States contribute to disaster relief, help for refugees as well as health and anti-poverty programs. Although the long-term effects of the financing break are unclear, some experts warned of fatal consequences, especially in places that have littered with landmines, cluster ammunition and other non-exploded bombs.
“There is a good chance that people will die,” said Bill Morse, the co -founder Make Cambodian self -help And the Landmine Relief Fund. “Someone will go to a mine field that should have been clarified this week, boom.”
There was confusion in Vietnam. Tran Phu Cuong, director of a government agency who is responsible for the administration of international help in Vietnam, pointed out that Vietnamese people still live with the continuing effects of the “unjust” war. This includes the non -exploded bombs and the permanent effects of “Agent Orange”, the chemical toxin that the Americans sprayed during the war, which was associated with cancer and birth defects.
“The US government and the American people are responsible for addressing the consequences of the war,” said Cuong.
Millions of hectares of land in Vietnam – almost a fifth of the country – remained contaminated from 2023.
Ho van Lai was 10 years old when he came across a cluster bomb in Vietnam’s Quang Tri province in 2000 when he played with his cousins. He recorded the small round objects that immediately detonated and killed his two cousins. He lost both legs under his knee, an arm under the elbow and the sight in one eye.
Mr. Lai, 34, who teaches school children to identify and avoid non -exploded bombs, said he was “very sad” to hear that the Trump government lowered the financing for the machine.
“The US support for the Mine Clearing efforts in Vietnam gave the USA a good image,” said Lai.
In Cambodia, Sok Eysan, the spokesman for the prevailing Cambodian People’s Party, said that it was the privilege of the US president to shorten these funds, but added: “Who created the wars that initiated these countries with country mines? Everyone knows. “
On January 16, 36-year-old Pov Nepin Minen removed the Cambodian mining and sacrificial aid authority, a government agency in the province of Oddar Mianchey in northwestern Cambodia when a armored swimming mine killed him. Since 2021 he had released hundreds of mines, inspired by his father, who was a doctor who helped people who were injured by mines, according to Pov Davann, 29, a brother of Mr. Pov Nepin.
“There are very sad news for all Cambodians to hear about the reduction in financing,” said Pov Davann. “There are still many country mines in Cambodia that we have to clarify for farmers.”
In recent years, China has had his efforts to help countries in Southeast Asia clarify their mines. Mr. Morse, the co-founder of the autumn organization in Cambodia, warned that the decision of the Trump government Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos will cause more towards the direction of Beijing.
Since the end of the war, 40,000 people in Vietnam have been killed by non -exploded bombs and another 60,000 injuries. The number of fatalities in Cambodia exceeds 65,000.
The US Agency for International Development or USA has contributed to being mutilated by these weapons. However, the majority of the global financing of mines clearing funds from the USA comes from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the past few decades, the tiny inland Laos has been one of the top recipients of money to destroy conventional weapons. The bomb campaign launched by the United States made Laos the most bombarded country per capita.
More than 22,000 people there were killed by non -exploded bombs from this time.
In Laos, officials have announced that the country needs 50 million US dollars annually for the continued approval of land mines and non -exploded residues. The government contributes $ 15 million and is based on international support from Japan, the United States and the United Nations development program.
Sera Koulabdara, the managing director of Legacies of War, a US interest group for global machines, said she would use civil servants in Washington in Washington to rethink the decision.
“This auxiliary disposition does not send our current administration responsible to the parts of the world that really depend on us. “
Ya narin Contribution to the reporting of Phnom Penh.
