SternAAlbifrons wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2020 9:33 am
Not "bombs", probably RPG, or maybe anti aircraft shells.
???
"North Vietnam acquired more than 2,000 37mm M38/39 anti-aircraft guns from the Soviet Union and another 300 to 500 of the Chinese variant. Introduced in 1938, the M38/39 was the Soviet Union’s primary AAA weapon in World War II."
Spare a thought for such organisations who I rarely see any comment, for the people who work help and train/clear these buried life destructing weapons of past wars and conflicts.
Latest news -
MEETING A GLOBAL EMERGENCY
The Coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented challenge across the world that will undoubtedly have a huge impact on HALO and our life-saving work. But we stand ready to provide our logistical and organisational expertise to serve the broader humanitarian need caused by COVID-19 in the countries where we operate.
In HALO’s thirty-year history we have faced many difficult challenges. Established as the Hazardous Area Life-support Organisation, we have brought our skills and expertise to support vulnerable families across the world in times of crisis—whether responding to the emergency in Sri Lanka following the tsunami, dealing with environmental disasters in Afghanistan, or ensuring isolated communities in Abkhazia receive vital food supplies. Together we are ready to do so again.
KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE
As an organisation that serves some of the world’s most vulnerable people, our priority is the safety and wellbeing of both our staff and the families who depend on us. We are adjusting how we work in line with the latest national government and World Health Organisation guidance to ensure we keep everyone protected.
However, where possible and where it is safe to do so, we are continuing to work to clear the landmines that threaten people’s lives and looking at using our expertise and capacity to support the COVID-19 response.
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
The current health emergency has thrown into even sharper relief the vulnerabilities of countries and communities where years of conflict have destroyed infrastructure and livelihoods. Health provision is often poor—or non-existent—and access to vital resources such as water are cut off.
This makes us more determined than ever to continue our mission to clear the landmines and explosives—so families, communities and countries can rebuild.
We are grateful to the continued support of our donors and partners in these uncertain times. By standing together, we can continue to fulfil to the best of our ability the humanitarian mission and values we all share, while keeping our staff, their families, and the communities we serve, as safe as we possibly can.
Who we are
In 2018, HALO marked 30 years of saving lives, recognising everything our supporters have done—and continue to do—to make our work possible. But we also need to look forwards. HALO needs to be innovative in a world of evolving conflict and we are rapidly changing to meet the challenge. Future generations of innocent people are counting on us.
James Cowan, CEO, HALO
Cambodia
Landmines laid during the ousting of the Khmer Rouge in 1979 and throughout the 80s and 90s have had a devastating impact on the people of Cambodia. Over 64,000 casualties and more than 25,000 amputees have been recorded since 1979.
Around half of Cambodia’s minefields have been cleared and those remaining are largely concentrated in the rural north-west of the country, especially along the Thai border on a 750km mined area known as the K5. As the population expands, families have little choice but to move onto mined land, placing themselves at risk. People like Cheng Seang, who lived near the notoriously dangerous K5 mine belt, live in hope, waiting for things to change.
We employ around 1,000 men and women from mine affected areas in Cambodia to work in minefields all along the Thai border from Koh Kong to Preah Vihear, and also in the south eastern province of Tboung Khmum. Our teams clear hundreds of landmines every month.
We also respond to a huge number of calls from people elsewhere in the country who have found dangerous explosives that need to be destroyed safely. The threat to the people of Cambodia—from landmines and other dangerous debris left after the war—is extremely high. Children like Arya and Molika, who walk to school right next to a minefield, are particularly vulnerable because of their innate curiosity, so our risk education visits to communities and schools are vital.
Arya and Molika live next to the K5 minefield. HALO is clearing the land round their new school so they will no longer have to walk to class along the minefield or avoid playing on nearby dangerous ground. Molika wants to be a farmer when she grows up and Arya, who loves learning science, wants to be a nurse. Our work to destroy the landmines will ensure Arya and Molika can have the opportunity every child deserves, to grow up safely and realise their potential.
https://www.halotrust.org/where-we-work ... /cambodia/
Just some facts -
Over 63,500 landmine and ERW casualties have been recorded in Cambodia since 1979, and with over 25,000 amputees Cambodia has the highest ratio per capita in the world. Despite a considerable reduction in casualty numbers over recent years, down from 875 in 2005 to 269 in 2008, Cambodia's mine and ERW problem still represents a major impediment to the social and economic development of the country. However, given more than 18 years of humanitarian demining, the landmine threat is now largely concentrated in just 21 north-west border districts.
In these rural districts the landmine problem continues to negatively affect much-needed development by hindering access to:
Land for agriculture and resettlement
Infrastructure and basic social services
Irrigation and safe drinking water
Secondary and tertiary roads
Land for cattle raising and foraging for forest products;
as well as:
Placing financial and emotional hardship on families needing to care for a landmine survivor
Causing psychological trauma for those forced to live alongside such a threat[16]
HALO Cambodia currently has over 1,150 national staff working in the provinces of Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Otdar Meanchey and Pailin. Recruiting, training and then deploying female and male deminers from the mine affected districts means that the landmine contaminated communities remain an integral component in the clearance process. Living and working in these communities, deminers are methodically ridding Cambodia of the landmine menace.
Between 1991 and May 2010, HALO Cambodia cleared over 6,115 hectares (15,110 acres) of landmine contaminated land whilst destroying over 229,000 landmines, 139,200 items of large calibre ammunition and 1.28 million bullets.
Alongside clearance work HALO's survey teams have continued to systematically clarify the nature and magnitude of landmine contamination in Cambodia. The current focus of HALO's survey teams is the Baseline Survey of Cambodia, a Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) led process to quantify the true nature of the remaining mine threat in Cambodia