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MAG has helped Laos overcome tragic legacies of war. TEXT BY MINES ADVISORY GROUP PHOTOGRAPHS BY BART VERWEIJ
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aos is the most heavily bombed country in the world, per capita. Between 1964 and 1973 over two million tons of bombs were dropped on the country – that’s one ton for every person living in Laos at the time. More than 250 million cluster bombs were dropped, but over 30 percent didn’t explode. An estimated 50,000 people have been killed by unexploded bombs, 20,000 since the war ended. Almost half have been children. This deadly legacy continues to threaten the lives of thousands of communities across Laos. The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) – a charity that removes landmines and un-
above: A MAG employee scans land to be cleared 1. Dangerous UXO is destroyed 2. MAG Community Liaison team travel to check a report of an unexploded bomb found in the community
exploded bombs from countries affected by war – was invited to work in Laos in 1994. Since then MAG has worked with Lao authorities to find and destroy more than 250,000 unexploded bombs. At the community level, our teams also work to raise awareness of how to recognize, avoid, and report the bombs that are killing and maiming people. The message is simple: don’t touch it, don’t move it, and call the hotline. The data gathered so far suggests that a minimum of 2,000km² of land still needs to be cleared. Over the past 25 years, MAG has been able to check and declare safe 331km² of land, as well as clearing cluster munitions, or “bombies”, from large areas. MAG staff also find hand grenades, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, and larger ordnance weighing more than an average motorbike, are still found regularly. To make the land safe, every inch of land needs walking over with a team carrying specialized metal detectors. Sometimes machines are used to clear areas with heavy vegetation. Every piece of metal
