sv evi

While in Luang Prabang we visited the UXO Museum. From 1964-1973 Lao Peoples Democratic Republic was the target of history’s largest bombing campaign by the United States. It was also called the Secret War, as the US government didn’t want the US people to know about it — the Vietnam War (or American War as it is called in Vietnam) was already unpopular. The US was trying to bomb the supply line, or Ho Chi Minh Trail, that the North Vietnamese Army was using to bring supplies to the Viet Cong in South Vietnam. This trail ran through Laos. Laos is ranked as the most heavily bombed country per capita in the world.

Here is text from the museum exhibit:

“During the Indochina War from 1964-1973, civilians and soldiers suffered alike from bombings that destroyed homes, schools, and farmland, forcing villagers to seek refuge in forests and caves. Despite the war’s end, unexploded ordnances (UXO) continue to threaten lives in Lao PDR, hindering economic growth and causing physical and emotional harm to victims and their families. 270 million bomblets were dropped with an estimated 30 percent failing to detonate when released — 80 million bomblets remain as Unexploded Ordnance in Lao PDR.”

The UXO are mainly a danger to children, who find them and think they are toys. Many people have lost limbs to UXO that explode while they are farming their land. The government has an education program to teach children about the UXO. We watched videos about some of the people affected by UXOs at the museum.

An artist named Bounpaul Photizan created art from old cluster bombs. The stories of people affected by the bombs are depicted on the bombs, and you have to walk around and around them to see the stories.

Jade suggested we donate $50 to the museum. So we did.