22 C
Vientiane
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
spot_img
Home Blog Page 4348

Six Killed in UXO-related Accidents This Year

Some 40 people have been injured and six fatalities recorded in UXO-related accidents so far this year, according to a report from the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for UXO/Mine Action in Laos.

The information was contained in a report presented at the UXO Working Group Meeting 2016 in Vientiane on Wednesday which was attended by Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Dr Khampheng Saysompheng, US Ambassador to Laos, Ms Rena Bitter, UNDP Resident Representative Ms Kaarina Immonen, NRA Director General Mr Phoukhieo Chanthasomboun, and other officials.

According to the NRA report, so far this year there have been 24 UXO-related accidents in which 40 people sustained injuries and six deaths had been reported (according to monthly progress data for the first nine months of the year).

Explosions typically occur during the transport, dismantling or burning of UXO, or while villagers are working in their fields.

In the first nine months of 2016, a total of 3,255 hectares of land was cleared. This included 2,214 hectares of agricultural land and 1,011 of development land. In the same period, more than 86,000 UXO items were destroyed, of which more than 70,000 were bombies.

Non-technical surveys were completed in 735 villages in 2016 representing 92 percent of the planned annual target within the sector’s five year plan. Technical surveys covered 12,993 hectares, establishing 8,138 hectares of Confirmed Hazardous Area. There are now a total of 29,103 hectares of Confirmed Hazardous Area.

The NRA has also set a target to reduce the number of UXO casualties to less than 40 a year and to provide assistance to at least 1,500 UXO victims from 2016-2020.

Risk education activities have been conducted in nine provinces across the country. As a result, the number of UXO casualties has steadily reduced from 119 in 2010 to 45 people in 2014.

In addition, UXO risk education will be included in the education curriculum, especially in primary and secondary schools.

Medical rehabilitation and work opportunities will be provided to UXO survivors, targeting 1,500 people by 2020.

One of the major challenges for the government is sourcing funding for clearance operations. NRA must continue to mobilise funds because the budget allocated to victim assistance is very limited at present.

However, during the ASEAN Summits in September the UXO sector announced contributions from the United States of US$90 million and US$7.2 million from New Zealand for clearance efforts and to assist UXO victims.

During the Indochina War from 1964-73 about three million tonnes of UXO were dropped on Lao territory, including about 270 million sub-munitions from cluster bombs and about four million aircraft bombs. Tests in the United States have found that these types of cluster munitions can have a failure rate of up to 30 percent. This means that land remains contaminated in Laos. The provinces in which contamination can be found constitute a total of 87 thousand square kilometres of the country’s land.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Laos, Vietnam Extend Partnership to Combat Illegal Logging, Poaching

Laos and Vietnam are furthering their cooperation with regard to tackling illegal logging and poaching, which continue to occur along their shared border.

Director General of the Department of Forest Inspection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr Khamphout Phandanouvong, told Vientiane Times on Wednesday that the Lao and Vietnamese governments had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on forest protection that encompasses both illegal logging and illicit products made from wild animals.

The MoU will be ratified by Lao and Vietnamese provinces that share a border. The memorandum runs for three years, from 2017 to 2020.

“So far, Huaphan, Borikhamxay, Khammuan and Attapeu provinces have signed the agreement with their respective Vietnamese neighbours to guard against the export of illegally procured timber and animal life,” Mr Khamphout said.

Xekong and Saravan provinces have yet to sign the memorandum.

Laos and Vietnam are still implementing the previous memorandum which was signed in 2012 and ends in 2017.

Mr Khamphout said much progress had been made against illegal operations in the border area since the ratification of the memorandum in 2012.

In the past, the two countries did not directly cooperate with each other on the issue of illegal timber and wildlife exports.

A drop in the export of products illegally sourced from forests resulted from the cooperation of the two countries after the signing of the first memorandum.

Attapeu province in Laos and Kon Tum province in Vientiane signed the second MoU in Vietnam on October 19. The two provinces will cooperate closely on exchanging information and intelligence related to the prevention and elimination of illegal logging and poaching in their border area.

Each party also agreed to intensify strict monitoring of the importand export of timber and wildlife along their border.

The new MoU includes several provisions that improve upon the previous one. A cooperative awareness- raising campaign will be carried out to educate people living in the border area about the importance of protecting natural resources and conserving biodiversity.

The awareness campaign targets these groups because they often either participate in illegal activities or have valuable intelligence concerning perpetrators.

The increased cooperation will also include additional training for military personnel, police and customs officers along the border in addition to direct cooperation on handling cases.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Project to Boost Cookstove Supply Chain through Revolving Fund

Producers of improved, greener cookstoves in the Lao PDR often encounter challenges in securing capital to run their businesses.

According to the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation Laos office, many banks are unfamiliar with the product and seem to be uninterested in providing loans as the average amount is too small – sometimes only about US$500.

If producers have no money for labour or to buy raw materials such as metal buckets, then production halts. Retailers on their part are afraid of taking the financial risk of pre-investing in a new product and in turn fewer improved cookstoves end up in shops meaning that customers and end users lack access to improved cookstoves, which keeps the demand low and affects the income of producers.

The Improved Cookstoves Programme (ICS), implemented by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Oxfam, and The Association for Rural Mobilisation and Improvement (ARMI), and funded by the European Union (EU) Switch Asia Programme, seeks to help Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) stove producers to sustainably produce high quality ICS.

In recognition of this, SNV set up a revolving fund of US$10,000 to frontload costs of production and sales of improved cookstoves that would have been constrained by cash flow challenges.

While only producers can borrow money from the fund, it has benefits along the entire supply chain. Producers, with the availability of the working capital, are able to continue production and have the flexibility to sell improved cookstoves on consignment to retailers.

Retailers, in turn, stock their shops and shelves with Improved Cookstoves, increasing access and awareness for end users, who then reap the benefits of a more energy- and time-efficient stove.

Nine producers in Savannakhet and Champassak provinces and the capital Vientiane are making use of this facility with 50 short-term loans already having revolved over the past 12 months.

Thus far, this fund has contributed to 9,650 cookstoves that otherwise may not been made due to cash constraints.

An important benefit is that producers have learnt to better plan and manage their cash flow by distinguishing between working capital’ and private money. This has increased the resilience of their businesses, making them less susceptible to unexpected financial shocks and has helped to ensure a more balanced cash flow and income level.

A bucket producer in Phonsykhai village in Champassak province, Mrs Syfong said, In the past, cookstove producers were often unable to pay for the metal buckets upfront and would ask to pay later.

But now that the ICS producers are able to borrow money from the revolving fund, they are able to buy buckets for their cookstoves outright.

Mr Bounthieng, one of the programme’s star producers, who on average produces 500-600 cookstoves per month, noted, with the money from the revolving fund, I am able to buy raw materials more easily. I’m even able to buy raw materials in bulk during the dry season when they are cheaper, which allows me to lower my production costs for larger profits.

The ARMI, which is managing the fund, has seen a gradual uptake among producers. Producers were initially hesitant because they feared being in debt. However, as more producers are enrolling, it’s becoming more apparent that the fund helps them increase their production and eventually their income, says Khamleth Sengsoulichanh, improved cookstoves programme manager at ARMI.

We hope that with the fund, producers are able to improve their business on their own and will no longer need the fund but rather manage their capital wisely.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

ASEAN Confers on Migrant Workers’ Rights

The 9th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour focusing on their protection in the region opened in Vientiane yesterday.

The two day meeting has been organised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare aiming to discuss improving the protection of migrant workers’ rights by strengthening the legal mechanisms governing their status.

Speaking at the forum’s opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Ms Khambay Khatthiya, said its objective was to allow participants to review the progress of the ASEAN Labour Ministers Work Plan for 2010-2015 as well as various action plans and ASEAN Vision 2016-2020. This included reviewing the progress made in implementing the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers plan for 2011-2020 in the region and other cooperation programmes with dialogue partners.

She said officials would also share their experiences and suggestions regarding the protection of workers’ rights in addition to practical issues relating to development in ASEAN countries.

Discussions would include stepping up protection and promotion of migrant workers’ rights against exploitation and mistreatment by enhancing labour migration governance in ASEAN countries along with regional cooperation to fight human trafficking in ASEAN and developing an ASEAN instrument on protection and promotion of migrant workers’ rights, she said.

The government, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, has worked to protect and promote the rights of migrant workers.

It has identified a labour and social welfare programme until 2025 to enhance the quality of labour to match market needs so that Lao workers can be competitive at regional and international levels, she said.

Ms Khambay noted in addition, that workers would have improved employment security with the social protection floor and social dialogue in Laos strengthening.

The programme is developing the labour force based on economic structure, promoting employment services and self employment, strengthening workers’ protection, and enhancing industrial relations.

More importantly, the government is focusing on poverty reduction and increasing the income earned by migrant workers and their families by running various programme activities throughout the country, such as microcredit schemes.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Fifty Officials Sanctioned for Corruption in Saravan

Fifty provincial authorities in southern Saravan province under investigation by inspection authorities have been found to have been receiving bribes over the past five years.

The Provincial Committee of the State and Party Inspection, Mr Khamchan Chemsamone reported at the third meeting on work inspection in the prefecture last week that many billions of kip were lost as a result of the corruption.

These 50 wrongdoers were found guilty of embezzlement after nine targets were checked.

The inspection authorities estimate that the state has lost more than five billion kip due to the payment of bribes to these corrupt officials.

Provincial authorities were able to recoup a total of only 67 million kip from the 50 corrupt officials.

Based on the report tabled at the meeting, the provincial inspection authorities found there had been 50 wrongdoers involved in the illegal felling, purchase and sale of timber, with about 9,000 cubic metres of timber thought to have been illegally removed. Stemming from that, six wrongdoers were punished, 21 were educated, five had their positions dissolved or were reposted to lower ranking positions, while 18 members of the security forces and civil service were expelled.

Provincial authorities were keen to demonstrate that they had taken care of their inspection and anti-corruption obligations regarding this matter.

According to the report presented at the 3rd Congress of the Inspection Committee of the Party Central Committee held in Vientiane recently, more than 4,807 billion kip has been lost to corruption over the past five years and 734 targets were found involved, a top anti-corruption body reported.

Vice Chairman of the Inspection Committee, Sinai Mienglavanh told the congress that more than 887 billion kip of the money lost to corruption has been recovered.

More than 303.1 million cubic metres of timber were found logged and sold illegally over the past five years, Mr Sinai told the participants as he delivered the report.

Over the same period, some 1,806 cadres of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party have been disciplined as they violated the Party’s statutes and state laws in various cases. Of those, a total of 1,007 cadres were expelled from Party membership.

In addition, the committee has received 3,640 petitions including 2,719 petitions that have been resolved. Most of the petitions were related to land disputes, business disputes, and dissatisfaction over court verdicts.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Booths all Set for Brisk Trade at That Luang Festival

This year’s That Luang Festival comprises different zones for the display and sale of various goods including those made under the One District, One Product (ODOP) scheme and imported products.

In a new move, the authorities have banned vendors from selling alcoholic drinks in the festival grounds.

The zones for the display and sale of ODOP and other local products are at That Luang esplanade, with over 300 booths selling ODOP products made in various districts around the country.

Meanwhile foreign-made goods will be on sale at the Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre (Lao-ITECC).

Vendors are already displaying their products during the annual festival, which runs from November 8-14.

Vientiane Times spoke to a concessionaire in the That Luang area, who asked not to be named, about booth availability.

He said there were over 200 booths in his area in the high-demand zone between the National Assembly and the Phonkheng village zone in Xaysettha district.

In his concession area, the rental for pitches ranged from 1 million kip to 3.5 million kip, depending on location. Booths in this zone could only sell ordinary goods and food, not ODOP products, he explained.

He had rented out 95 booths already, with the authorities announcing that all booths are to sell their goods from November 8-14.

Festival organising officials told Vientiane Times they had prepared a special attraction this year, and commissioned a traditional village to be reproduced near That Luang-tay temple.

The model village will feature a traditional arts show and display foods symbolic of the northern, central and southern regions, as well as selling old items that would have been used in days gone by. Visitors can also watch weaving demonstrations.

The main activities at the That Luang Festival will be similar to those of previous years. Event organisers are seeking to perpetuate Lao customs and culture and put them on full view for local and foreign visitors.

The religious part of the festival will run from November 12-14 and give people the chance to pray at the That Luang stupa and pay their respects to the grand monument.

On November 13, the festivities will begin with the wax castle procession at Vat Simueang and end with a colourful procession around the stupa.

Almsgiving to monks will take place on the last day of the festival, November 14, in the early morning. This will be followed by the ritual game of tikhy and other traditional activities.

To ensure public safety, security officials will station teams of officials in and around the That Luang esplanade.

Organising officials are working with village authorities to arrange car and motorbike parking, aiming to ensure orderliness and reduce traffic jams.

Authorities have designated parking areas around the That Luang crossroads. They have set a parking fee limit of 15,000-20,000 kip for a car and a maximum of 10,000 kip for a motorbike, depending on location.

If drivers feel they are being charged too much, they may discuss the matter with security staff at police boxes around the National Assembly and in That Luang-tay village.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

NA Members Vow to Tighten Petition Handling

Enhancement of inspection measures and measures against violators involved in abuses of power that lead to injustices in resolving disputes and court cases became a hot topic at the ongoing National Assembly (NA) debate.

NA members at the ongoing 2nd ordinary session of the 8th National Assembly legislature were debating the draft amendment to the Law on Handling Petitions.

Thirteen NA members gave their opinions on the draft amendment to the law, which was introduced to the NA session for consideration yesterday.

The latest amendment to the law was made in 2014 but it has been amended again to be compliant with the constitution and other laws such as the Law on National Assembly, and the Law on Local People’s Councils.

The latest amendment was made last year and led to the improved role and obligations of the concerned authorities.

At the debate with NA Vice President Somphanh Phengkhammy presiding, 104 of 116 NA members present voted for the approval of the draft while 10 members did not approve it and two members were neutral.

The current law (2014 law) contains 64 articles, while the draft amendment (2016 law) has one article less than the promulgated one.

Both the promulgated law and draft amendment include three types of petitions: a request, which is presented to a state administrative body, a claim, which is presented to an investigating orgnisation, the Office of the Public Prosecutor or the People’s Court, and a petition for justice, which is presented to the local people’s council and the National Assembly.

Speaking at the debate on the draft amendment, NA member for Vientiane, Mr Saithong Keoduangdy praised the draft, saying this would prevent the presentation of a petition to several organisations at the same time.

Meanwhile, he noted the reason for presenting a petition for justice needs to be identified, saying this related to investigating officials, prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement teams.

Our National Assembly and local people’s councils have to enhance their inspection. The law should make details about this, Mr Saithong said.

If we don’t do so, those people who used to earn money from dealing with court cases will continue to take advantage of the situation, he added.

Mr Saithong agreed with the NA vice president’s call for the punishment of judges who have been involved in offences or injustices. He said judges sometimes make the right judgment in accordance with the law but the decisions are not accurately supported by the facts.

He explained that non-factual decisions come about as a result of misconduct by information providers such as investigating officials, who change the information or testimony. He reminded the session about a case where investigating officials removed a document from the whole set provided by one party to the case.

Punishment should be meted out on the officials concerned, Mr Saithong said.

He also wanted inspections to focus on judges whose judgments made parties to the lawsuit continue to appeal consecutively.

The draft stipulates in Article 28, that the period for presenting a petition for justice to local people’s councils and the National Assembly is within 60 days from the date the concerned person is informed of the final decision of the public administrative authority or the final decision of the court.

NA member for Champassak province, Mr Meksavanh Phomphithak proposed the time limit for the acceptance of a reconsideration of a petition be extended, mentioning a time period of 30 years as is the practice in Vietnam.

NA member for Attapeu province, Mr Phetkeo Heuangpanya said he wanted the higher authorities to better define this law when it comes to dealing with petitions concerning disputes between individuals and local authorities.

 

Source: Vientiane Times

Asean, China Join Forces to Tackle Transnational Crime

ASEAN member states and China will further boost their joint efforts through bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms to tackle transnational crime.

Transnational crime includes drugs and human trafficking which are increasing in scale as reflected by the large number of young people that fall victim to these crimes.

Vice President of the National Assembly, Dr Bounpone Bouttanavong, highlighted this point during his opening remarks at the 10th ASEAN-China Prosecutors-General Conference, held in Vientiane yesterday under the theme: Strengthening Cooperation to Effectively Combat Transnational Crime.

To address these issues, we need to increase our combined efforts, including ensuring effective coordination, the capacity building of prosecutors, and expertise exchange, he said.

The world is currently undergoing rapid changes that present both opportunities and challenges. Moreover, different regions of the world are facing challenges that impede socio-economic development, especially transnational crime, he added.

Dr Bounpone said that although the Lao government has made a strong effort to address these issues, including through the adoption of laws and strict measures, the country was still facing challenges in this area.

Such activities have caused great loss of life and property and are posing a threat to the peace, stability and security of nations, regions and the world as a whole.

These crimes are transnational in nature and involve many countries, and they are a pressing issue that no single country can handle on its own.

We should exchange information on the activities of offenders or groups of criminals with the aim of responding to and combating these crimes in an effective and timely manner, Dr Bounpone said.

Dr Bounpone noted that the conference was taking place at a time when ASEAN is focusing its efforts on the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the three community Blueprints as well as the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan III and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025.

He said the cooperation between the offices of the prosecutors general of ASEAN member states and China would contribute to the implementation of related activities under the ASEAN-China Plan of Action.

The conference provides a good opportunity for ASEAN prosecutors general and China to discuss and together find ways and means to combat transnational crime, in particular drugs and human trafficking, he added.

Dr Bounpone stressed that with the cooperation and support of ASEAN member countries and China, the conference would meet with success, thereby significantly contributing to the ongoing ASEAN community building efforts and ASEAN-China relations as well as the common cause of maintaining and promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.

Dr Bounpone said he highly valued the important role played by the conference, which was first held in 2004. He congratulated participants on the achievements made in past years in the fight against transnational crimes of mutual concern, further contributing to cooperation between ASEAN and China as Strategic Partners towards a higher plane.

 

Source: Vientiane Times