By Gavin Todd
During the Vietnam War from 1955 to 1975, Laos, a neighboring country of Vietnam, suffered from a civil war from 1959 to 1975. It was a war between the Communist Pathet Lao which was backed by North Vietnam, and the native Royal Lao Government.
Areas that were held by Pathet Lao were heavily bombed by the Americans. The U.S dropped nearly three million tons of explosive ordnance Though, thirty percent of the bombs dropped failed to detonate. At the end of the war in 1975, Laos was left with nearly eighty million pieces of unexploded ordnance in rural areas. Laos is considered the world’s most heavily bombed nation per capita.
As of 2023, around 20,000 people have died since 1975 due to buried cluster munitions, 40% of them being children. In the Savannakhet Province of Laos, 70% of residents of the Savannakhet Province live below the poverty line. Most families are entirely dependent on growing rice, but the landmines that still remain make it life threatening.
Introducing The Halo Trust, a humanitarian non-government organization which primarily deals with landmines and other explosive ordnance after conflicts like the Vietnam War. The organization is backed by the United States and the United Kingdom.
The Halo Trust began clearing landmines in 1988. They began in the tail end of the Soviet-Afghan war which ended in 1989. As the Soviets withdrew, they left behind explosive landmines. Which killed over a thousand civilians. Refugees were prevented from returning to their native home due to the landmines and humanitarian aid could not be administered due to the danger littering the roads. Colin Mitchell, Susan Miitchell, and Guy Willougby helped found The Halo Trust in Kabul.
In 1997, Princess Diana walked through one of HALOs established mindfields in Angola. It gained worldwide recognition after her visit – this was one month before Princess Diana passed away. After her visit, the Ottawa Mine Ban treaty was drafted and signed. The Halo Trust continues their work in Angola, Mozambique, Somalia, Cambodia, Laos, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Chechnya, Kosovo, Ukraine, Israel, and Colombia. As of 2023, The Halo Trust has approximately 10,000 employees.
The Halo Trust needs your help. Donate = clear a landmine. You can donate here.
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