On 11 November 2015, representatives of the Center for Research and Action for Inclusive Development (IDEA) attended the ceremony to mark the first anniversary of the Vietnam Association for Supporting the Remediation of Bomb and Mine Consequences (11/11/2014 – 11/11/2015) at the Signal Corps Command, No. 1 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh, Hanoi. Former General Secretary Le Kha Phieu; Senior Lieutenant General Phuong Minh Hoa, member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Head of the General Department of Politics, also attended the ceremony.
Photo: The Political Commissar and Chief of Staff of Military Region 5 presenting flowers to Ms. Nguyen Hong Oanh, Director of IDEA
Reporting on the association’s activities in 2015 and its directions and activity plan for 2016 – 2020, Lieutenant General Nguyen Duc Soat, President of VNASMA, said that the association was born out of an objective need and is an extended arm of the State Steering Committee for the national action programme on overcoming the consequences of bombs and mines after the war in Viet Nam.
VNASMA has actively established and expanded cooperative relations with state agencies, leaders and local authorities; social organisations and international organisations working in the field of overcoming the consequences of bombs and mines after the war… Despite many difficulties, over the past year the association has achieved encouraging initial results.
To date, the association has attracted 501 individual members, including many generals, military officers, scientists and retired senior and mid-level officials who participate enthusiastically with the motto of serving the people and the country wholeheartedly without any remuneration. In addition, the association has attracted 25 organisational members and established seven local chapters, including chapters in Ha Giang and Quang Nam and five chapters in Hanoi, and is organising five more chapters in localities including Da Nang City, Quang Ngai Province, Binh Dinh, Lang Son and Cao Bang…
Over the past year, VNASMA cooperated with the People’s Committee of Ha Giang Province to present Tet gifts, support bomb and mine victims and carry out education on preventing bomb and mine accidents in three communes of Vi Xuyen District, with a total of 258 million VND; successfully organised a live television exchange on the theme “For a peaceful life and development”; organised surveys in preparation for establishing chapters; and supported victims and promoted bomb and mine prevention in some central provinces…
On this occasion, VNASMA announced the decision to establish chapters in Ha Giang, Hanoi and some central provinces.
In the coming period, VNASMA will continue to consolidate, improve and stabilise its staffing and central organisation, develop its membership; build and issue a set of model educational materials on bomb and mine prevention for unified use in the association’s work; proactively survey the extent of bomb and mine contamination and its impact on people’s lives and daily activities in order to have accurate data; improve the effectiveness of fundraising for the association’s operating fund; and promote and mobilise the governments of other countries, foreign non-governmental organisations, international individuals and organisations, and domestic individuals and organisations to sponsor and support the association’s activities.
ANH NGUYEN