News
Big Success with Vallon VMXC1 in Laos
18.03.2008
PRESS RELEASE
21 February 2008
UXO LAO National Office, Vientiane
GERMAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS UXO LAO
The German Ambassador, H.E. Dr. Peter Wienand, today handed over twenty (20) metal detectors as part of their continuing support to UXO LAO, the national unexploded ordnance clearance operator. The detectors are part of their 2007 contribution of USD623,426, supporting operations in Luangprabang province.
These metal detectors (the Vallon VMXC1) are made in Germany by the Vallon Company. They are UXO Lao’s latest tools used to clear UXO from the country. These detectors help UXO Lao deminers to work faster by ignoring small pieces of metal and instead, look for metal pieces that are half a bombie with fuse (BLU-26) in size (something like half a baseball.) By ignoring these small metal pieces found by old detectors, more land is cleared. UXO Lao needs to replace around 600 units of their old detectors with these newer technology ones.
From 1998 to 2005, the German Government supported UXO Lao operations in the provinces of Luangprabang and Huaphanh by providing funds through the German EOD company Gerbera. Beginning 2006, the German Government channelled its support for UXO Lao operations in Luangprabang through cost sharing agreements with UNDP.
UXO Lao is the national humanitarian UXO clearance operator in Lao PDR. Since its establishment in 1996 by the Lao Government with the support of UNDP and other stakeholders, the organisation has cleared more than 11,865 hectares of land. It has also visited 6,659 villages, conducting community awareness activities on the dangers of UXO. In the process of conducting operations, it has destroyed more than 801,013 items of UXO, of which 46% were bombies. The organisation employs more than 1,000 employees, of whom around 85% are in field operations. UXO Lao currently receives support from countries as Australia, Germany, Japan, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. It also receives support from private foundations such as World Without Mines.
Contact Person:
Houmpheng Lattanavong
Chief, Public Information
UXO Lao
Tel. 021.415.767
Mobile: 020.565.5684
Houmpheng@uxolao.gov.la
PRESS RELEASE
21 February 2008
UXO LAO National Office, Vientiane
POLISH GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS UXO LAO
The Polish Charge d’Affaires, Dr. Tomasz Gerlach, today handed over three (3) metal detectors to UXO Lao, the national humanitarian unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance operator. This is the first time that the Polish Government provided direct support to the Lao Government’s efforts in reducing the number of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the country. Funds to purchase the detectors were channeled through UNDP.
These metal detectors, the Vallon VMXC1, are UXO Lao’s latest tools used to clear UXO from the country. These detectors help UXO Lao deminers to work faster by ignoring small pieces of metal and instead, look for metal pieces that are half a bombie with fuse (BLU-26) in size (something like half a baseball.) By ignoring these small metal pieces found by old detectors, more land is cleared. UXO Lao needs to replace around 600 units of their old detectors with these ones.
UXO Lao was established in 1996 by the Lao Government with the support of UNDP and other donors. The organisation has cleared more than 11,865 hectares of land and visited 6,659 villages, conducting community awareness activities on the dangers of UXO. In the process of conducting operations, it has destroyed more than 801,013 items of UXO, of which 46% were cluster munitions (bombies.) The organisation employs more than 1,000 employees, of whom around 85% are in field operations. UXO Lao currently receives support from countries as Australia, Germany, Japan, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. It also receives support from private foundations such as World Without Mines and Intrepid Foundation.
Contact Person:
Houmpheng Lattanavong
Chief, Public Information
UXO Lao
Tel. 021.415.767
Mobile: 020.565.5684
Houmpheng@uxolao.gov.la
