Click to edit Master title style,*,Click to edit Master text styles,Second level,Third level,Fourth level,Fifth level,UXO Vulnerability and Poverty Eradication,ERI,STEA,Lao PDR,Sub-regional Conference on Poverty Environment Nexus,June 21 22,2006,Vientiane,Lao PDR,1,22%of villages in Lao PDR are contaminated with UXOs,Percent of Villages in District Having UXO problems,UXO problem High UXO problem,2,Approximately 580,000 aerial bombing missions dropped over two million tonnes of explosive ordnance.,Around 30%of explosives failed to function,15 of the countrys 18 provinces were significantly contaminated,22%of villages reported a presence of UXO,Over 50%of all agricultural land,3,Numbers of UXOs found by villagers during,their daily activity within a year in 6 villages,Village,Number of UXOs found per year,Pak Xay,500,La Kai,1,800,Kroung,13,000,Bak,10,000,Ta Lang Mai,3,800,Trak,10,000,4,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.,5,Correlation between UXO Contamination and Key Indicators 1995-98,6,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,7,Selected Villages:Pak Xay,La Kai,Kroung,Bak,Proy,Trak,In Kaleum,high contamination is around district town,8,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,9,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.,10,There are new villages in UXO-affected areas in the South,Village,Original or new immigrated,Original villages,Year of immigration,Distance from original,Reason of immigration,Pak Xay,New removed,A Lem and Cha Ang,1975,3 days by foot,Avoiding from slope area and there was some degree of UXO risks.,La Kai,Original,Kroung,New removed,Ta Xing,2003,15 minutes,Follow Resettlement plan of Kaleum District,Bak,New removed,Houay Pak Xai,1973,15 minutes,Proy,New removed,Proy Neua,Proy Tai,Lang Kong,2003,15 minutes,Follow Resettlement plan of Kaleum District,Trak,Origional,11,Table 3.10 Past&Current Trends in Six Villages Surveyed,Village,1,2,3,4,5,6,New or old village,Migrated from east,consolidated village,Old village,Migrated from nearby village,Migrated from nearby village,Migrated recently from nearby,consolidated,village,Old village,UXO impact,Low/Moderate,Moderate,Moderate,High,Severe,Moderate/High,Livelihoods,Today,Paddy&livestock dvt,Seasonal migration,Metal scrap,NTFPs Outmigration,Metal scrap,Gold panning,Tomorrow,Sawmill,Tourism,Fruit 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 3-4 decades,12,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,13,