I-PROJECT NEW: Ikhipha i-Vietnam ku-Ordnance Engaqhumi

NGU-CHUCK SEARCY, I-VVA Veteran

Kwabaningi baseMelika, iMpi YaseVietnam yaphela ngo-1975. Kodwa kubantu abaningi baseVietnam, impi ayizange iphele ngaleso sikhathi. Baqhubeka nokufa, ukulimala, nokukhubazeka impilo yonke ngenxa yezikhali ezazihlala phezulu noma ngaphansi kwenhlabathi. Lezi zikhali zazihlale ziyingozi ezakhamuzini ezingalindelekile kulo lonke izwe—kodwa ikakhulukazi endaweni eyayingenamasosha.

Ngo-2001, ngenkathi kwethulwa i-Project RENEW, iSifundazwe sase-Quang Tri besibhekana nezingozi ezingamashumi ayisithupha kuya kwezingamashumi ayisishiyagalombili ezibandakanya izikhali ezingaqhuma (UXO) minyaka yonke kusukela impi yaphela. UMnyango Wezabasebenzi, Abangavumelekile, kanye Nezindaba Zezenhlalakahle waseVietnam ubike ukuthi abangaphezu kuka-100,000 baseVietnam babulewe noma balimala ezweni lonke ngamabhomu nezimayini.

Eminyakeni eyishumi nanhlanu kamuva, imizamo ye-Project RENEW—ngokubambisana namanye ama-NGO kanye nezikhungo zikahulumeni wesifundazwe—ibe nemiphumela emihle. Ngo-2016 kwaba nengozi eyodwa kuphela esifundazweni saseQuang Tri.

Ngo-2000 ithimba le-Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) lavakashela eVietnam. Ekupheleni kwalolo hambo ubuholi be-VVMF banquma ukusiza iVietnam ukuthi ilulame emiphumeleni yempi. Uhulumeni weSifundazwe saseQuang Tri unxuse i-VVMF ukuthi iqhamuke nendlela ehlukile nesebenza ngempumelelo enkingeni ye-UXO esifundazweni. Kwenziwa isinqumo sokunwetshwa kanye nokwenza ngcono imizamo evamile kakade eqhubekayo ehlanganisa izinhlangano zamazwe ngamazwe ezisebenza ezimayini kanye namayunithi ezempi aseVietnam.

Uhulumeni uphakamise ukuthi i-VVMF iklame uhlelo “oluphelele futhi oludidiyelwe” lokubhekana namabhomu nezimayini. Kuzogxilwa kakhulu ekususweni kanye nasekukhuculweni okuphephile kwemithetho, ekufundiseni izingane kanye nabantu abadala ukuthi bangaphepha kanjani futhi bavikele imindeni yabo nemiphakathi yabo, kanye nokusiza abanqunyiwe kanye nabantu abakhubazekile ngenxa yezingozi zamabhomu nezimayini.

IZINSELELE ZOKUQALA

Ngabuyela eVietnam ngo-January 1995 ngemva kokukhonza eButhweni Lezempi Lase-U.S. njengomhlaziyi wezobunhloli eSaigon, ngo-1967-68. I-Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) yayithole uxhaso lwesigidi esingu-$1 ku-U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) ukuze ithuthukise futhi ihlomise umhlangano wokucobelelana ngolwazi eSibhedlela Sezingane SaseSweden eHanoi. UMongameli uBobby Muller wanginikeza umsebenzi wokuba umphathi wezinhlelo. Umgomo bekuwukuthuthukisa nokwandisa ukukhiqizwa kwezisekelo zamathambo zezingane ezinovendle, i-cerebral palsy, nezinye izinkinga zokuhamba.

Kwakudingeka sakhe kabusha futhi silungise ingxenye enkulu yomnyango wokulungisa isimo esibhedlela Sezingane, sifake amarutha, amasaha amabhande, ohhavini, namabhentshi okusebenza, futhi sihlele umoya owanele, kuyilapho siqeqesha isiVietnam ekwenzeni izisekelo ze-polypropylene ezingasindi eziklanywe futhi zenziwe ngokwezifiso. izingane ezikhubazekile.

Lapho kuvulwa umhlangano wokucobelelana ngolwazi ngo-1996, odokotela nochwepheshe basheshe bafinyelela inani eligcwele ekwelapheni iziguli, ezazisuka kude zizohlolwa futhi zifakwe izinto zokusiza. Ngokushesha abasebenzi base belapha iziguli ezingamashumi amathathu kuya kwamashumi amane ngenyanga, bezihlinzeka ngemishini yamathambo esezingeni eliphezulu eyenza iningi lazo likwazi ukuhamba ngaphandle kosizo okokuqala ngqa.

Phakathi naleyo minyaka yokuqala, kwaba nengxoxo phakathi kwabangane bami bodokotela baseVietnam kanye nabasebenzi bezokwelapha mayelana namabhomu nezimayini kanye nomonakalo weziqhumane ezinjalo ezaziqhubeka ukuwubangela kulo lonke elaseVietnam. Sifunda ama-akhawunti ephephandaba isonto ngalinye ngezingozi nabafayo kulo lonke izwe. Amasosha aseVietnam, anikezwe umsebenzi wokuhlanza izikhali empini, ayengahlomile ngokwanele futhi engaxhaswanga ngokwanele ngezimali. Ngaphandle kwalokho, kwakungeyona into eza kuqala. Abantu abaningi baseVietnam, okuhlanganisa nezikhulu ezithile, babonakale bekwamukela ukuthi lokhu kuyinkinga engasoze yaphela ngoba inselelo yayinkulu.

Ukubhujiswa kwempi kwaba kukhulu. Ngangazi ukuthi izikhali ezingaqhunyiswanga, ngisho namashumi eminyaka kamuva, zaziwusongo oluyingozi kubalimi, izingane zesikole, nakubantu basemaphandleni abangenacala ababenza imisebenzi yabo yansuku zonke. Imibiko ibivame kakhulu ukuba ungaziba.

Ngaqonda futhi ukuthi i-Agent Orange yayiyifa elicashile lempi. Omakadebona baseMelika base beqaphela kabuhlungu imiphumela yezempilo eyayibonakala ixhumene ngokuqondile nokuchayeka kwe-Agent Orange. Kodwa uhulumeni wase-US wayephika, futhi uhulumeni waseVietnam wabonakala emadolonzima ukusunduza noma iyiphi inkinga.

Sibuze ukuthi kungani i-U.S. yayingawamukeli umthwalo wemfanelo owengeziwe ngalawa mafa empi asongela izimpilo zezizukulwane zaseVietnam ezazalwa kudala ngemva kokuphela kwempi. Amanye amalungu eCongress-kanye nama-veteran nezinhlangano ezandayo-aphoqelele ukubandakanyeka okukhulu kwe-US. Omunye wabameli abaphambili kwakunguSeni. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). Isikhwama Sezisulu Zempi, asize ukusisungula futhi kamuva saqanjwa kabusha ngokuthi i-Leahy War Victims Fund, sahlinzeka ngezimali zamaphrojekthi wobuntu aqhutshwa yi-VVAF nezinye izinhlangano ezingenzi nzuzo.

IHhovisi likaMnyango WezoMbuso Lokuqothulwa Kwabantu libonise isithakazelo esibukhali ekutheni kungenzeka ukusebenzisana kwe-US neVietnam ekuhlanzeni ukungcola kwe-UXO. Kancane kancane, kwavuleka umnyango wokuthola imali evela e-U.S. eya eMnyangweni Wezokuvikela waseVietnam. Imishini yobuchwepheshe yanikezwa, futhi izimali ezengeziwe zatholakala kuma-NGO anobuchwepheshe bokuqothula amabhomu kanye nokunciphisa i-UXO.

Ama-NGO ambalwa e-Hanoi anentshisekelo efanayo kulezi zinkinga akha iQembu Lokusebenza Lamabhomu Omhlaba ukuze lihlole izindlela zokusebenzisana. Uhulumeni wesifundazwe eQuang Tri wayemagange ukuthola usizo ekubhekaneni nale nkinga.

Inhlangano ezinze eSeattle, i-PeaceTrees, itshale izihlahla emhlabeni wonke ezindaweni ezazinezingxabano, izinhlekelele, nokucekelwa phansi kwemvelo. Abasunguli uJerilyn Brusseau noDanaan Parry beza eVietnam bezophakamisa iphrojekthi efanayo. Ngabakhuthaza ukuba bavakashele eQuang Tri. Uhulumeni wesifundazwe wawamukela lo mbono, kodwa waphawula ukuthi noma yimuphi umzamo wokutshala izihlahla uzodinga ukusulwa ngokucophelela kwamabhomu nezimayini kuleyo ndawo. Lokho kwavula umnyango wokubamba iqhaza kokuqala kwe-U.S. ekukhuculweni kwamabhomu nezimayini: ukugunyazwa ngokuphephile komhlaba okungamahektha ayisithupha ngamasosha aseVietnam, okuxhaswa ngezimali yi-PeaceTrees, kwalandelwa ukutshalwa kwezihlahla ezingaphezu kwenkulungwane.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho inhlangano yaseJalimane, i-SODI-Gerbera, yahileleka, yalandelwa inhlangano enkulu yaseBrithani esusa amabhomu, iMines Advisory Group (MAG), i-Clear Path International, ne-Golden West Humanitarian Foundation. Isimo sase silungele ukwethulwa komqondo owaba yi-Project RENEW.

AMA AMA

Isinqumo sokwethula i-Project RENEW sincike ekuqongeleleni u-$500,000 ukuze kuqinisekiswe okungenani iminyaka emibili yemali eyanele ukwenza iphrojekthi ibe ngokoqobo. U-Jan Scruggs, umongameli we-VVMF, waqinisekisa uChristos Cotsakos, umakadebona waseVietnam owayelimele eQuang Tri, ukuthi aqhamuke nengxenye yoxhaso. I-Cotsakos ibe yimpumelelo kakhulu nge-E*Trade Online Financial Services. Ngaya ku-Freeman Foundation, ehambisana nomnikelo we-Cotsakos nomunye u-$250,000. Iphrojekthi RENEW ibisaqhubeka.

Ilungu labasebenzi abasha elikhanyayo, u-Hoang Nam, nami sahola ekusunguleni i-Project RENEW. Saqasha izisebenzi eziyinhloko, sabela ingxenye yesabelomali sethu ukuze kulethe uchwepheshe wezobuchwepheshe, u-Bob Keeley ovela e-European Landmine Solutions, ukuze asisize sihlele iphrojekthi futhi siqeqeshe abasebenzi, futhi sagxila ekufundiseni ngengozi—ukufundisa abantu indlela yokuphepha, ukugwema. izingozi nokulimala, kanye nokubika umthetho njengoba bewutholile.

Ngokushesha sathola ukuthi ngaphandle kwezisebenzi eziqeqeshiwe zokucekela phansi noma ukususa izikhali eziyingozi lapho kufika izicelo zosizo, umzamo wethu wawulahlekelwa ngokushesha ukwethembeka kubantu bendawo. Kwadingeka siqinise imizamo yethu yokuqoqa izimali zokutshala amaqembu e-Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) ukuze aphendule izingcingo eziphuthumayo zosizo.

I-Project RENEW izabalaza ukuthola uxhaso, kusukela emithonjeni esukela eMnyangweni Wezwe wase-U.S. kuya kuhulumeni wase-Norwegian, eyaba enye yezimpahla eziqine kakhulu ze-Project RENEW.

Ngo-2008 ithimba elivela e-Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) lafika e-Quang Tri, libheke ukunwebela eVietnam ngomsebenzi walo ohlaba umxhwele wezimayini zomhlaba wonke, futhi langenela ubudlelwano ne-Project RENEW. Uhulumeni waseNorway unikeze ngezimali ezinkulu nokusekelwa okubalulekile kwezobuchwepheshe. Lokhu kwakungesikhathi lapho ikusasa le-Project RENEW lalingaqiniseki ngenxa yesinqumo se-VVMF ngo-2011 sokuhoxa ekuhlanganyeleni kweminyaka eyishumi. I-VVMF ibifuna ukugxila esikhungweni sayo semfundo esiyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu.

Uxhaso lwaseNorway lwalubalulekile. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uMnyango Wezwe wathembisa ezinye izimali, nge-NPA, ngoxhaso oluhambisana neMines Advisory Group kanye ne-PeaceTrees. I-Project RENEW kanye ne-NPA bathole amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-7.8 isikhathi esiyiminyaka emithathu. I-MAG ithole ngaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-8 zamaRandi.

Manje silandela uhlelo olwasungulwa umqondisi wezwe we-NPA ngaleso sikhathi, uJonathon Guthrie, okuwucwaningo olusekelwe ebufakazini be-Cluster Munitions Remnants Survey (CMRS). Leso sinyathelo sihlanganisa ukuhlola izindawo ezingcoliswe yi-UXO, ukuxoxisana nezakhamuzi zendawo, ukuqhathanisa amarekhodi okuqhunyiswa kwamabhomu aphendulwe uMnyango Wezokuvikela, nokusebenzisa leyo datha ukuze kusetshenziswe amaqembu asusa noma acekele phansi i-ordnance kulezo zindawo. Njengoba izinyathelo zeziteleka zezikhali zeqoqo zincishiswa futhi ziqedwa, futhi yonke eminye imithetho endaweni isuswa, lolu lwazi olusekelwe ebufakazini lungena kusizindalwazi esibanzi esitholakala kubo bonke abadinga ulwazi.

ISIMO AMANJE

Kunokubambisana okubanzi esifundazweni saseQuang Tri phakathi kwabo bonke ababambiqhaza ababalulekile, okuhlanganisa nama-NGO kanye namasosha aseVietnam. Lelo zinga lokubambisana alikaze libonwe ngaphambili futhi liyinkomba enhle yokuthi siqhubekela kudethi, eminyakeni embalwa emifushane, lapho inkinga izophathwa futhi ingaguqulelwa ngokuphelele kumaVietnam. I-U.S. ingabe isifuna, ngeqiniso elithile nokwaneliseka, ukuthi ekugcineni senze into efanele.

Ukushintsha ekucabangeni kwamasu kube kancane futhi kunzima. Ku-Project RENEW sikholelwa ukuthi akunakwenzeka ukuhlanza wonke amabhomu neyami. I-US yehle okungenani amathani ayizigidi eziyisi-8 ngesikhathi sempi, lapho iPentagon ithe cishe amaphesenti ayi-10 awazange aqhume. Lokho kuyinani elikhulu lemithetho esekhona emhlabathini-akunakwenzeka ukuhlanzwa esizukulwaneni.

Kodwa-ke, kungenzeka ukwenza iVietnam iphephe. Sikhombisa lokho nsuku zonke esifundazweni saseQuang Tri. Inhlanganisela yamaqembu aqeqeshiwe, ahlomile, agunyaziwe kanye namaqembu e-EOD, isizindalwazi esithembekile, kanye nenani labantu bendawo abafundile nabaqaphelayo kungagcina wonke umuntu ephephile.

Kwenziwa eJalimane nakwamanye amazwe aseYurophu, asakhuculula izinkulungwane zamabhomu minyaka yonke eMpini Yezwe I naseMpini Yezwe II. EsiFundazweni sase-Quang Tri, sibuyela emuva ku-1996, i-Project RENEW kanye nezinye i-NGOs zicekele phansi amabhomu angaphezu kuka-600,000. Ngonyaka odlule amaqembu e-EOD aphethwe yi-Project RENEW kanye ne-NPA aqhube imisebenzi engama-723 ephendula izingcingo ezivela kubantu bendawo, okuholele ekubhujisweni kwezinto ezingu-2,383 ze-UXO. Sekukonke, kutholwe izinto ezingaphezu kwe-18,000 futhi zacekelwa phansi ngesikhathi socwaningo kanye nokusabela okusheshayo kuma-callouts e-UXO. Kulezo, amaphesenti angama-61 bekuyizikhali zamaqoqo.

UDABA LWE-AGENSI

Elinye ifa elibuhlungu lempi yaseVietnam i-Agent Orange. AbaseVietnam namanje abakasondeli kunoma yiluphi usizo olubalulekile ekubhekaneni nezinselele ezesabekayo zezokwelapha, ezempilo, kanye nokuhlunyeleliswa kwezimilo ezibangelwa ubuthi be-dioxin.

Uhulumeni wase-US usebenzisa imali engaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-100 zamaRandi ukuhlanza ukungcoliswa kwe-dioxin esikhumulweni sezindiza i-Da Nang International, futhi kunezinkomba zokuthi i-airbase yangaphambili e-Bien Hoa ingase ibe elandelayo, enenani eliphakeme lentengo.

Kodwa ngaphandle kokwandiswa kwezimali zosizo lwabakhubazekile eVietnam, kube noxhaso oluncane noma alukho nhlobo lwase-US ukusiza imindeni ehlushwa izingane ezimbili, ezintathu, noma ngaphezulu ezikhubazeke kakhulu, manje ezineminyaka engamashumi amabili noma amathathu, ukukhubazeka kwazo ngokomzimba nangokwengqondo kungaphezu kwalokho. sína ukuthi abakwazi ukuzenzela lutho.

Ngoxhaso oluvela kumaVeterans for Peace (VFP), i-Project RENEW yazama ukuthola uxhaso ku-USAID ukuze ifinyelele izisulu ze-Agent Orange eziyi-15,000 esifundazweni sase-Quang Tri. Leso siphakamiso sachithwa. Abasebenzi be-RENEW abakenzi isinqumo mayelana nokuthi baphinde bafunele le mindeni ukwesekwa nguhulumeni wase-US.

Abantu bayangibuza, emva kweminyaka engaka, kungani usekhona? Angidingeki, ngempela; abasebenzi base-Vietnamese abangaphezu kwe-180 i-Project RENEW kanye nabasebenzi be-NPA banekhono kakhulu kunalokho engingeke ngikwazi.

Kodwa-ke, uma ngingenza umnikelo omncane wokugcina umzamo usendleleni, ukusisiza ukuthi sigxile emphumeleni ekugcineni wokwenza yonke i-Vietnam iphephe, khona-ke ngizibophezele kulowo msebenzi. Imodeli ye-Quang Tri iyasebenza. Uma ngingasiza ukugcina imigudu yokuxhumana eyakhayo nehloniphanayo ivulekile phakathi komakadebona baseMelika, omakadebona baseVietnam, izikhulu zikahulumeni wase-Vietnamese, kanye nezisebenzi zeNxusa Lase-U.S. kanye nezikhulu zaseWashington, ngiyajabula ukuzama ukusiza isikhashana.

Ngeke kudlule iminyaka eminingi, ngiyaqiniseka, kuze kube yilapho sesikwazi ukuqeda yonke inhlekelele, ubuhlungu, nosizi lwesikhathi esidlule. Khona-ke amaVietnam angaphila ngokuzethemba futhi enze imisebenzi yawo yansuku zonke ngaphandle kokwesaba amabhomu nezimayini. Bazokwazi ukuthi balawula isimo ngendlela engcono kakhulu. Futhi omakadebona baseMelika bangasho ukuthi sisize ukuqeda impi yaseVietnam.