Japan-made UXO clearance vehicle arrives in Vientiane Capital

(KPL) Vientiane, January 11 The Japanese Komatsu demining machine worth around 8,000 million kip, as a humanitarian support from the Komatsu through the Japan Mine Action Service or JMAS arrived in Vientiane Capital on January 8 for its UXO operation in Xiengkhouang, the second most bombarded following Savannakhet. “We will send the machine to clear unexploded ordnance in farmland in several villages of Pek district, Xiengkhouang and will extend to other districts, therefore the vehicle can clear and destroy UXO in high quantity. The same kind of machine had ever been put in the same operation in Cambodia,” said JMAS Manager Mr. Khammaly Luang-aphay. Almost local people live a difficult life because their lack of an access to safe farmland to ensure food production. Since 1996, 28,000 ha in the country have been freed from unexploded ordnance, while the government plans to have 200,000 ha freed from the war legacy by 2020 to ensure the Lao ethnic people can access safe food production resources and safe livelihood, according to Mr. Khammaly.