At least 13 million tons of ordnance were dropped in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam during the American wars in these countries. Many did not explode upon impact, and today vast amounts of land remain contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO). This UXO continues to pose a threat to citizens in all three countries, with many survivors permanently disabled and their families impoverished. Land contaminated with UXO also prevents its use for economically productive purposes. To date, at least 200,000 have been injured or killed due to decades old UXO in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The legacies of war left scars in many forms. Displacement is one of them—between 1975–1995, 3 million people from Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam left their contaminated homeland and fled to the United States alone, not counting those forced to flee to Europe and beyond.
This year, the Center for International Stability and Recovery (CISR) has invited Legacies of War to speak about the impact UXO has on communities in Southeast Asia and the generational effects it’s had on those who sought refuge after the war. Legacies is passionate about spreading awareness of the U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia and will speak on JMU campus about transforming experiences of conflict into resilience and healing. Your gift to the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery will further CISR's mission to connect people, resources, and ideas; envisioning peaceful and prosperous futures for communities impacted by conflict.
