July 25, 2010

“Mine-Free Israel” Bill Proposal Wins Unanimous Support of Government and Knesset

July 25, 2010—Jerusalem—An unprecedented bill proposal for a mine-free Israel, co–sponsored by 73 MKs from all factions, received unanimous support of the Ministerial Committee on Legislation and proceeded to pass preliminary reading with a unanimous vote of the Knesset's plenum.

“MINE–FREE ISRAEL” BILL PROPOSAL WINS
UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT AND KNESSET

July 25, 2010—Jerusalem—An unprecedented bill proposal for a mine-free Israel, co–sponsored by 73 MKs from all factions, received unanimous support of the Ministerial Committee on Legislation and proceeded to pass preliminary reading with a unanimous vote of the Knesset's plenum.

The campaign for a Mine–Free Israel has been working for the past two years to ensure that the government, the army, local communities and international agencies work together to clear the minefields that no longer protect, but instead threaten lives. According to a bill proposal drafted by the campaign's legal staff and presented to the Knesset by MK Tzahi Hanegbi (Kadmia), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Israel would establish a Mine Action Authority and start a multi–year process of clearing landmines according to humanitarian demining protocols.

11–year-old landmine survivor, Daniel Yuval, became the campaign's Youth Ambassador, and sent letters to the Ministers and Knesset Members urging them to vote in favor of the bill, saying: “When I awoke from the surgery and saw my right leg amputated, I told my mom that I wanted that no one will get hurt by landmines again, and I mean to do something about that... Now it's your turn, as a member of government and a parent that has kids at risk of being hurt from landmines, to support this bill and make Israel mine-free.”

The bill proposal, co-sponsored by 73 MKs from the coalition and the opposition, received the unanimous support of the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on July 11, and proceeded to pass preliminary reading at the Knesset's plenum on July 14. At a speech before the plenum during this first out of three stages of voting on the bill, MK Hanegbi commended the role of international involvement in helping Israel become minefree: “There are individuals such as Jerry White, who is a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize together with his organization 'Survivor Corps', and Heidi Kühn, who heads the organization 'Roots of Peace' .. who joined forces with the members who signed the bill, and are helping us with their rich experience.”

Deputy Minister of Defense, Major General (res.) Matan Vilnai (Labor), speaking at a Mine–Free Israel reception in Tel Aviv on June 30, said that he is happy for this initiative and will support it wholeheartedly in the government and in the Ministry of Defense. Earlier that same day, members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee joined Heidi Kühn, Founder and CEO of Roots of Peace, for a ceremony of planting an olive tree in the Baptismal Site of Jesus near Jericho, where thousands of landmines surround ancient world heritage monasteries and endanger the lives of pilgrims and worshipers. Roots of Peace is launching an initiative to restore holy sites contaminated by military litter, and to transform minefields in the Holy Land into vines and orchards.

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Click HERE to read the transcribed speeches from the preliminary reading of the Mine Action Bill, July 14, 2010.

June 30, 2010

Israeli Boy Calls World to Mine Action at Banks of Jordan River

Eleven Year Old Landmine Survivor Inspires Global Leaders and Military Commanders to Turn “Mines to Vines” at Baptism Site of Jesus

June 30, 2010—Jordan River, Israel—Daniel Yuval, age 11, lost his right leg to a landmine while playing in the snow on a family trip to the Golan Heights in February.

ISRAELI BOY CALLS WORLD TO MINE ACTION AT
BANKS OF JORDAN RIVER

Eleven Year Old Landmine Survivor Inspires Global Leaders and Military Commanders to Turn“Mines to Vines” at Baptism Site of Jesus

June 30, 2010—Jordan River, Israel—Daniel Yuval, age 11, lost his right leg to a landmine while playing in the snow on a family trip to the Golan Heights in February. In an extraordinary response to Daniel's call to action to clear all non–operational minefields, leading Knesset members, government ministers, business representatives and global leaders will join military officials in an unprecedented briefing in the Jordan Valley this week. The mine-free Israel campaign is dedicating the day to answer Daniel's call, so that no more footsteps are lost to the perils of landmines. The day begins at 9 AM with a gathering of dignitaries at the minefield surrounding Qaser el Yahud—the Baptismal site of Jesus on the bank of the Jordan River. Tzachi Hanegbi, Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, will tour the site with Jerry White, a leader of the Nobel Peace Prize–winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines, who, like Daniel, lost his leg to a landmine over 26 years ago in the Golan. Hanegbi's leadership has resulted in the introduction of unparalleled legislation for landmine action, supported by 73 Knesset members across all party affiliations. The legislation would mandate a national authority to clear all landmines not required for security purposes. This would include the agricultural areas of the Arava Valley as well as the sites sacred to all faiths, including two billion Christians worldwide eager to see the third holiest site of Christianity set free from mines and open to pilgrims and tourists. Officials estimate the site, once demined, could welcome over one million visitors annually.

Heidi Kühn, Founding CEO of Roots of Peace (www.rootsofpeace.org), one of the largest agricultural NGOs in Afghanistan, will lead a ceremonial planting in the minefield with the vision of transforming “MINES TO VINES”—minefields into vineyards throughout the Jordan Valley. In addition to Afghanistan, Roots of Peace has been working for the past 12 years in Angola, Bosnia, Cambodia, Croatia, Vietnam, and Iraq. Currently, Roots of Peace is working with USDA, USAID, ADB, EU, and World Bank support in 27 of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan—having removed over 100,000 landmines/UXO before returning the land to productive agricultural use. Kühn says, “We are planting the roots of peace in The Holy Lands—joined by Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike—as we strive to demine the Baptism site of Jesus along the banks of the Jordan River. Together, we are transforming seeds of hatred into seeds of hope while respecting our sacred common grounds.” His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, who visited the Baptismal Site of Jesus in 2009, had a personal audience with Ms. Kühn, after which The Vatican stated: “We must renew and strengthen our commitment at both the international and local levels to rid agricultural fields of the death-dealing landmines that are devastating the lives of so many people, particularly women and children.”

Jerry White and the Mine–Free Israel Campaign released this week the first comprehensive report, “Explosive Litter: Status Report on Minefields in Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” reporting that nearly half a million mines are no longer operational and could be removed today. Mine Free Campaign Coordinator Dhyan Or says “Landmines left over from decades of conflict are buried in thousands of minefields along Israel's border with Jordan. It is in Israel's interest to clear these mines, saving lives and limbs and returning land to productive use. In fact, this could be done in five to ten years.” The Kingdom of Jordan has already cleared all minefields in the Jordan Valley, and along its border with Israel, expecting to become mine–free by mid–2011. Less than ten years ago, Jordan had a similar level of contamination as Israel has today.

The landmine briefing will conclude with a VIP Reception hosted by young Daniel Yuval and his family, joined by Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, MK Tsahi Hanegbi, International Ambassadors, Maxwell Gaylord, resident UN Coordinator Humanitarian Efforts, who previously ran the UN Mine Action Service—responsible for setting international standards for mine clearance. The event will convene at 7:30PM at The Tower, 3 Daniel Frisch Street in Tel Aviv.

The day's activities will also offer tribute to the efforts of the late Princess Diana, whose birthday is July 1st. Princess Diana would have been 49 this year. Prince Harry, her son, visited the minefields of Mozambique earlier this month in honor of his mother's legacy to eradicate an estimated 70 million mines buried in over 70 countries. On her last humanitarian visit with Jerry White to Bosnia in August 1997, Princess Diana declared landmines “a scar on the earth and a weapon of mass destruction in slow motion.” Landmines have killed more than nuclear, chemical and biological weapons combined.

Minefields hold hostage the Baptismal Site of Jesus
on the bank of the Jordan River.
Photo: Simona Or-Munteanu

Heidi Kühn and Tzachi Hanegbi, Chairman of the Knesset Defense and Security Committee,
plant an olive tree at the recently demined baptismal site of Jesus on the bank of the Jordan River.
Photo: Simona Or-Munteanu

June 7, 2010

Marin Voice: The Real Roots of Peace

WHO'S Ted Sorensen?" queried the young reporter on the other end of the line when asked would he like to interview the 82-year-old former speechwriter for John F. Kennedy.

Sorensen was in Marin recently. He, along with his wife Gillian, a United Nations senior advisor, received Global Citizenship Awards from Roots of Peace, the locally based organization which deactivates land mines, primarily in Afghanistan.

Marin Independent Journal
By Noah Griffin
Posted: 06/07/2010 12:54:33 AM PDT

Noah Griffin of Tiburon is a public
affairs consultant and a former community
member of the Marin IJ's editorial board.

WHO'S Ted Sorensen?" queried the young reporter on the other end of the line when asked would he like to interview the 82-year-old former speechwriter for John F. Kennedy.

Sorensen was in Marin recently. He, along with his wife Gillian, a United Nations senior advisor, received Global Citizenship Awards from Roots of Peace, the locally based organization which deactivates land mines, primarily in Afghanistan.

Although time may have distanced the immediacy of his recognition to the younger generation, those of us who lived through the Kennedy presidency have vivid memories of the wordsmith whose prose may have been the real roots of peace in the nuclear era.

Both in interviews and in his former New York Times best seller: "Counselor; A Life at the Edge of History," Sorensen clearly counts his major contribution, among many, as co-crafting the response to Nikita Khrushchev during the Cuban missile crisis.

Those 13 days in October of 1962, when America challenged Russia by quarantining Cuba to stop its attempt to ship nuclear warheads to bolster weapons already poised 90 miles from our shore, remains the closest known time the world has been to nuclear obliteration.

Even the choice of the word "quarantine" rather than "blockade" was a masterstroke in "diplomatic speak," justifying alone Sorensen's 11 years with JFK.

There were so many questions to ask, one didn't know where to begin. Fortunately, the 14 hours spent with him between interviews, appearances and talks Advertisement barely dusted the surface.

"Did you really write 'Profiles in Courage'” attributed to Kennedy? Beyond his stock response - “ask not” - he answered my question, acknowledging a collaboration, with Kennedy doing the actual writing.

If the highest objective of a speech is to be repeated and remembered, perhaps the most well- known 20th century inaugural quote: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” had its germination as an idea, according to Sorensen, from Kennedys' mother

Rose's favorite quote, “To whom much is given much is asked.”

Fielding tough questions on KGO radio, Sorensen was at his best.

An irate caller challenged the Kennedy legacy as totally overrated. In rapid fire succession, he attacked Kennedy for getting us into Vietnam, falsely claiming a non-existent missile gap with the Russians, having multiple affairs and going on stopping only long enough to imply: “Now what do you think of that?”

To which Sorensen replied, “I guess we'll put you down as undecided.”

He wistfully recounted Nov. 21 1963, the last time he saw his old boss alive.

He ran out on the White House lawn to give Kennedy some papers. The president was poised to board the helicopter to take off for Andrews Air Force base where Air Force One awaited to fly him to Dallas.

Sadly, five years later, in an upstairs room watching television at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, Sorensen witnessed Bobby Kennedy's shooting.

Since his time in harness, the man known as JFK's alter ego has enjoyed a rewarding career in international law. Based in New York, he continues to advise heads of states and other clients world-wide on a range of sensitive issues.

Ted Sorensen is one of the last links with those who worked closely with Jack Kennedy, having joined his staff in 1952.

His affection for and work with Roots of Peace is a natural, given how close we all came to not being able to harvest the times in which we live.

Noah Griffin of Tiburon is a public affairs consultant and a former community member of the IJ's editorial board.

May 3, 2010

Progetto da 400 mila dollari per bonificare i terreni dagli ordigni antiuomo piazzati durante la guerra 40 anni fa

RIMINI - I primi 400.000 dollari sono già pronti. Certo, questi soldi non potranno mai risarcire quello che è stato, ma è sicuramente un modo per chiedere scusa. Già perché oggi, 35 anni dopo la fine della guerra in Vietnam, gli Stati Uniti tornano in quel Paese per bonificarlo dalle mine antiuomo. Quelle stesse mine che proprio gli americani nascosero a tradimento sotto il terreno e le coltivazioni di poverissimi contadini. Una volta che i campi - oggi ovviamente inagibili - saranno liberati, ci si pianteranno alberi di cacao.

Corriere Della Sera—Cronache
03 Maggio, 2010
Daniela Camboni
L'impegno di Roots of Peace: sulle aree decontaminate sorgeranno piantagioni di cacao

Progetto da 400 mila dollari per bonificare i terreni dagli ordigni antiuomo piazzati durante la guerra 40 anni fa

Alcuni degli ordigni già recuperati
dai terreni che furono teatro
dei combattimenti in Vietnam

RIMINI - I primi 400.000 dollari sono già pronti. Certo, questi soldi non potranno mai risarcire quello che è stato, ma è sicuramente un modo per chiedere scusa. Già perché oggi, 35 anni dopo la fine della guerra in Vietnam, gli Stati Uniti tornano in quel Paese per bonificarlo dalle mine antiuomo. Quelle stesse mine che proprio gli americani nascosero a tradimento sotto il terreno e le coltivazioni di poverissimi contadini. Una volta che i campi - oggi ovviamente inagibili - saranno liberati, ci si pianteranno alberi di cacao.

OBIETTIVO CACAO - «Mines to Chocolate» in Vietnam (tradotto suona «cioccolata al posto delle bombe») è l'ultimo progetto dell' infaticabile associazione umanitaria americana Roots of Peace. Sono loro che dal 1997 ad oggi hanno sminato i campi traditori di mezzo mondo: una per una, hanno scovato e neutralizzato 100.000 mine. Dall'Afghanistan all'Angola, dall'Iraq alla Croazia. Un'enormità, se si pensa a quanto sia difficile eliminarne anche solo una di mina. Un po' deprimente invece, quando ti dicono che in questo momento nel pianeta sono celate dove meno te l'aspetti qualcosa come 70 milioni di mine. La cosa bella di Roots of Peace è che ha dato un futuro alle popolazioni: al posto delle mine spuntano piantine di tè, vigneti, patate E adesso, il Vietnam con la cioccolata. Il clima è adatto. I terreni quelli giusti.

Lo stand di Roots For Peace

LA VERA GUERRA - «Quando si spengono i riflettori su un conflitto, comincia la vera guerra. Quarant'anni dopo l'intervento militare in Vietnam, i vietnamiti del 2000 muoiono o rimangono brutalmente mutilati tutti i giorni a causa delle mine. Sono soprattutto i bambini che magari non sanno neanche della guerra di 40 anni fa le vittime più frequenti. Tanto è vero che adesso nelle scuole è stata introdotto un insegnamento ad hoc. La gente poi muore di fame perché non può lavorare la terra»", scuote la testa Flavia Taggiasco, la responsabile europea di Rop: in questi giorni è a Squisito di San Patrignano, la rassegna delle eccellenze gastronomiche e delle esperienze umanitarie più significative - per presentare gli ultimi risultati. Nella vita di tutti i giorni Flavia è una giornalista, è stata fino all'anno scorso a capo della Cnn Italia, adesso è capo redattore a Matrix. "Ero in Croazia per la Cnn e ho raccontato la storia di un bracciante – ricorda -. Aveva la terra, ma non la poteva coltivare e dare da mangiare alla sua famiglia. Preso dalla disperazione un giorno ha cercato di scoprire se c'era almeno una porzione sicura, è morto dilaniato. Da quel giorno ho deciso di impegnarmi in questa battaglia contro le mine».

TERRENO INFESTATO - Ma cosa troveranno gli americani in Vietnam 35 anni dopo? «Il 20% del paese è ancora contaminato – dice Taggiasco –. Roots of Peace sminerà e pianterà cacao nella provincia di Binh Phuoc. Sarà il primo progetto pilota poi si continuerà fino al 2012 in altre aree del paese, specialmente in quella centrale di Quang Tri che è una delle più ferite: l'80% del territorio è infestato da queste armi di distruzione lenta di massa. La cosa orribile è che le mine sono ideate non tanto per uccidere il nemico, ma proprio per infliggere dolore e disperazione per i decenni a venire e per far male anche a tanti bambini che in quel momento ancora non neanche nati» .

I PROGETTI NEL MONDO - A Roots of Peace sorridono quando chiedi quali saranno i prossimi progetti. In americano si dice: «This is the only business where you hope to go out of business», ovvero è l'unico lavoro dove speri di rimanere senza lavoro. Ma non è così. Intanto oggi l'associazione americana è uno dei partner internazionali di Good Goods, il circuito che riunisce tutte le realtà, in giro per il mondo, che sono riuscite in un'impresa che sembrava impossibile (ma più che altro pericolosa): sostituire le coltivazioni di oppio e coca con i sani prodotti della terra: cacao e caffè come è successo per esempio in alcune regioni della Colombia, frutta, zafferano come stanno facendo in Afghanistan. Ora cercano spazio tutti insieme all'interno del mercato e nei canali commerciali: è per questo che si sono messi in vetrina in questi giorni a Squisito a San Patrignano. Fra due anni, grazie agli Usa, con loro ci sarà anche la cioccolata del Vietnam.

April 24, 2010

Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace

"We must renew and strengthen our commitment at both the international and local levels to rid agricultural fields of the death-dealing landmines that are devastating the lives of so many people, particularly women and children." said Monsignor Anthony R. Frontiero, an official of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, in a meeting with Mrs. Heidi Kühn, founder and CEO of Roots of Peace.

PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE

24 April 2010

“WE MUST RENEW AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMITMENT AT BOTH THE INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS TO RID AGRICULTURAL FIELDS OF THE DEATH-DEALING LANDMINES THAT ARE DEVASTATING THE LIVES OF SO MANY PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN,” SAID MONSIGNOR ANTHONY R. FRONTIERO, AN OFFICIAL OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, IN A MEETING WITH MRS. HEIDI KÜHN, FOUNDER AND CEO OF ROOTS OF PEACE

On Friday, 23 April 2010, Mrs. Heidi Kühn, Founder CEO of Roots of Peace visited the offices of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Roots of Peace is a U.S. based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to de-mining, replanting and rebuilding post-conflict countries. In her annual visit to the Pontifical Council, Mrs. Kühn appealed for a greater collaboration between local Catholic institutions in the mission to rid the world of landmines.

Every 30 minutes a person is killed or maimed by explosive remnants of war (ERW) in post conflict countries.  Each year up to 20,000 civilians are killed or injured by exploding landmines and cluster munitions.  This cruel kind of weaponry does not discriminate between young and old, civilian or soldier.  They are activated by the victim, not by someone taking aim or pulling the trigger. They are designed to inflict maximum suffering, not to kill.

Explosive remnants of war decimate entire economies in post conflict countries.  They perpetuate fear and hatred among the population, and often increase a country’s dependence on international aid.  It costs $3 to plant a landmine, but $1,000 to remove one. There are over 70 million landmines in the ground in over 70 countries.

Roots of Peace works to rid the world of landmines and other explosive remnants of war by transforming minefields into thriving farmland and communities.  The organization removes the hazard of landmines and unexploded ordinance from the soil.  It then works with international agencies and the private sector to revitalize the country’s agricultural sector, bringing de-mined land back into productive agriculture use and creating a harvest of hope for communities in landmine affected countries.

April 6, 2010

Dự án 'Biến mìn bẫy thành sô-cô-la' tại VN

Tháng tư năm nay kỷ niệm 35 năm ngày kết thúc chiến tranh Việt Nam. Sau hơn 3 thập niên chấm dứt cuộc tương tàn, thịt vẫn rơi, máu vẫn chảy tại nhiều khu vực trên khắp đất nước Việt Nam, vì số bom mìn khổng lồ còn sót lại dưới lòng đất đang từng ngày, từng giờ rình rập mạng sống của các cư dân địa phương, đặc biệt là giới trẻ sinh sau chiến tranh ở các vùng nông thôn.

Cập nhật Thứ Ba, 06 tháng 4 2010

Tháng tư năm nay kỷ niệm 35 năm ngày kết thúc chiến tranh Việt Nam. Sau hơn 3 thập niên chấm dứt cuộc tương tàn, thịt vẫn rơi, máu vẫn chảy tại nhiều khu vực trên khắp đất nước Việt Nam, vì số bom mìn khổng lồ còn sót lại dưới lòng đất đang từng ngày, từng giờ rình rập mạng sống của các cư dân địa phương, đặc biệt là giới trẻ sinh sau chiến tranh ở các vùng nông thôn.

Theo thống kê, kể từ khi cuộc chiến chấm dứt năm 1975, Việt Nam có hơn 100 ngàn người thiệt mạng hoặc bị thương do bom mìn còn sót lại dưới lòng đất. Tỉnh Quảng Trị của miền Trung được xem là nơi có tỷ lệ bị ảnh hưởng vì mìn bẫy cao nhất cả nước, với hơn 80% tổng diện tích toàn tỉnh bị ô nhiễm bom mìn, hơn 7 ngàn nạn nhân, trong số này, trên 2 ngàn người đã tử vong vì mìn bẫy.

Ông Ngô Xuân Hiền, cán bộ dự án Project Renew chuyên rà phá bom mìn tại tỉnh Quảng Trị, cho biết:

“Theo số liệu của Bộ Quốc phòng Việt Nam, có khoảng 800 ngàn tấn bom mìn các loại còn sót lại sau chiến tranh, nhưng số liệu của Bộ Quốc phòng Mỹ nói rằng có đến 1,5 triệu tấn bom mìn còn sót lại ở Việt Nam. Đánh giá sơ bộ của chúng tôi trên toàn quốc cho thấy 20% diện tích của Việt Nam đang còn ô nhiễm vì bom mìn.

Những hoạt động chúng tôi đang làm đây là dựa vào nguồn hỗ trợ nhân đạo từ chính phủ Mỹ và các nước. Còn chính phủ Việt Nam vẫn có ngân sách riêng dành cho rà phá bom mìn do Bộ Quốc Phòng, Bộ Tư lệnh công binh vẫn đang thực hiện. Đối với các dự án xây dựng cơ sở hạ tầng lớn, chính phủ Việt Nam có trách nhiệm rà phá bom mìn tại các hiện trường đó.”

Người cán bộ của dự án chuyên rà phá bom mìn tại tỉnh Quảng Trị nói thêm rằng những nạn nhân tai nạn mìn bẫy tại Việt Nam phần đông là trẻ em thuộc độ tuổi thanh-thiếu niên:

“Đối tượng trẻ em sinh sau chiến tranh, nhận thức của họ về bom mìn còn bị hạn chế. 31% nạn nhân là trẻ em trong các vụ tai nạn do bom mìn. Ngay bản thân tôi, hồi những năm 80, lúc đó tôi khoảng 12-13 tuổi, còn đi tìm lượm những thuốc bồi súng để đốt vào đêm giao thừa cho sáng.

Trong các chương trình học đường, nhà nước và các dự án như chúng tôi vẫn có lồng ghép những chương trình giáo dục, phòng tránh tai nạn cho trẻ em. Tuy nhiên, các tai nạn xảy ra là do mưu cầu cuộc sống, người dân đi dò tìm phế liệu chiến tranh để mua bán và bị tai nạn.”

Một bạn trẻ thuộc thế hệ 8X tên Nam Long, cư ngụ tại Long Bình, Hố Nai 3, khu vực được mệnh danh là kho đạn quân sự trong thời chiến tranh Việt Nam, có 1 người anh cả bị chết và 1 người anh thứ bị tàn phế vì nhặt bom mìn về cưa để lấy phế liệu bán kiếm tiền phụ giúp gia đình.

Nam Long kể:

“Em có hai người anh trai, một người sinh năm 1972, một người sinh năm 1978. Một anh bị chết tại chỗ do cưa 1 quả đạn M79. Còn người anh sinh năm 1978 bị gãy nát chân vì đạn nổ. Hồi đó và bây giờ cũng vậy, người dân ở đây rất nghèo nàn, lạc hậu, không hiểu biết nhiều về các thông tin bom mìn đó.”

Một thanh niên 32 tuổi tên Minh Quốc cũng là cư dân khu vực Long Bình. Sinh ra lành lặn, nhưng đến năm lên 10, cậu bé Minh Quốc bỗng trở nên tàn phế vì nghịch phải một quả bom mà bạn tưởng lầm là một cục sắt. Quốc may mắn thoát tay Tử thần, còn hai người anh của bạn thì chết ngay tại chỗ khi trái bom bất ngờ phát nổ.

Minh Quốc thuật lại:

“Năm 1988, em bị gãy giò do nổ mìn. Đó là một rủi ro, do mình không hiểu biết nên mình nghịch phá và xảy ra tai nạn. Mình tưởng cục sắt, mình đập, chứ đâu biết cái gì. Lúc đó mới 10 tuổi đang học lớp 3, lớp 4, đâu có rành. Đất nước Việt Nam cũng còn nghèo lắm vì mới chiến tranh qua sao dọn dẹp kỹ được. Ở Việt Nam chứ đâu phải như nước ngoài mà có chuyện hỗ trợ này nọ? Mất mát thì vẫn có nhưng cuộc sống mình giờ phải chịu vậy thôi chứ làm sao? Khu của em ở thuộc tổng kho Long Bình, nằm ngay gần kho đạn. Hồi xưa đi kiếm sắt để đập ra bán, không ngờ bị nổ. Sau khi nằm bệnh viện hơn tháng trời về nhà em mới nghe gia đình báo là hai ông anh bị mất, chứ lúc xảy ra sự việc không hề biết gì, vì em lúc đó còn nhỏ mà bị thương cũng nặng lắm.”

Để đánh dấu ngày Nhận thức về Bom mìn Thế giới của Liên hiệp quốc, 4/4 năm nay, tổ chức nhân đạo Roots of Peace chuyên tháo gỡ mìn bẫy tại nhiều nơi trên thế giới dự định khởi xướng chương trình mang tên “Biến mìn bẫy thành sô-cô-la” tại Việt Nam, giúp rà phá mìn bẫy, tái tạo đất trồng, mang đến cho nông dân các mùa gặt hoa màu trù phú thay vì những vụ thu hoạch đẫm máu.

Sau các cuộc tiếp xúc tốt đẹp đầy hứa hẹn với chính phủ Việt Nam, hiện Roots of Peace đang chờ giấy phép để chính thức đi vào hoạt động như một tổ chức phi chính phủ (NGO) tại Việt Nam. Nếu mọi việc suông sẻ, những bom đạn sát thương còn sót lại trên lãnh thổ Việt Nam sẽ lần lượt được biến thành những thỏi sô-cô-la mang hương vị ngọt ngào của cuộc sống thời bình, của lòng nhân ái, cảm thông, và sự chia sẻ từ những người bạn đến từ bên kia nửa vòng trái đất.

Ra đời từ năm 1997 Roots of Peace có trụ sở tại bang California, Hoa Kỳ, do bà Heidi Kuhn sáng lập là một tổ chức NGO nhân đạo chuyên tháo dỡ mìn bẫy tại nhiều nơi trên thế giới cũng như giúp cải thiện đời sống của các cộng đồng bị ảnh hưởng bởi bom mìn. Tháng ba vừa qua, bà Kuhn đích thân thực hiện chuyến thăm Việt Nam với mong muốn thiết lập một chương trình cải tạo kinh tế cho tỉnh miền núi Bình Phước, thuộc vùng Đông Nam Bộ, với dự án nghe khá lạ tai “Biến mìn bẫy thành sô-cô-la”.

Chủ tịch và là sáng lập viên của tổ chức thiện nguyện Roots of Peace, bà Heidi Kuhn, chia sẻ:

“Chúng tôi muốn đem mô hình này tới Việt Nam. Sau khi đích thân cùng con trai đến đất nước này, tôi cảm nhận được nỗi lòng của các bà mẹ Việt Nam phải chịu đựng những đau đớn, mất mát tận 35 năm sau cuộc chiến.

Tại tỉnh Quảng Trị mà tôi có dịp ghé thăm, 83% đất đai ở đây bị ô nhiễm bởi mìn bẫy. Những gì đã xảy ra trên lãnh thổ Việt Nam 3 thập niên trước hiện vẫn đang ảnh hưởng tới thế hệ trẻ tại đây, là thành phần chiếm 60% dân số nước này. Tôi nghĩ tất cả chúng ta nên có trách nhiệm nhân đạo giúp gỡ bỏ những mầm mống đe dọa khủng khiếp còn sót lại bên dưới lòng đất và giúp các nông dân địa phương gieo trồng những hạt mầm hòa bình.”

Về kế hoạch chi tiết của dự án “Biến mìn bẫy thành sô-cô-la” tại Việt Nam, bà Kuhn nói:

“Chúng tôi muốn trồng cacao tại các khu vực như tỉnh Bình Phước và những vùng đất mà chúng tôi được biết là sẽ cho chất lượng cây cacao cao nhất trên thế giới, chỉ đứng sau nước Ghana ở Châu Phi, mà hiện vẫn còn nhiều bom mìn sót lại dưới lòng đất.

Trước tiên, chúng tôi sẽ tiến hành tháo dỡ mìn bẫy và sau đó sẽ giúp dân địa phương trồng cacao trên chính những mãnh đất ấy để cải thiện đời sống kinh tế, biến những vị đắng chiến tranh thành vị ngọt của cuộc sống thời bình qua những thanh kẹo sô-cô-la ngọt ngào.

Chúng tôi sẽ giúp họ hàn gắn những vết thương chiến tranh bằng cách hướng dẫn cho họ những phương pháp nông nghiệp hiện đại áp dụng lên những vùng nông thôn nghèo khó này. Kế đó, chúng tôi sẽ tiến hành bước tiếp theo là cung cấp cho họ thị trường tiêu thụ sản phẩm từ cây cacao.”

Tuy thời hạn dự kiến thực hiện dự án thí điểm tại tỉnh Bình Phước là từ mùa xuân năm nay đến mùa xuân năm 2012, nhưng Chủ tịch tổ chức Roots of Peace cho biết thêm rằng tiếp sau dự án này, tổ chức của bà hy vọng sẽ thực hiện nhiều dự án khác tại nhiều vùng khác nữa trên đất nước Việt Nam mà địa điểm kế đang được nhắm đến là tỉnh Quảng Trị, khu vực bị tác động nặng nề nhất bởi mìn bẫy. Ngoài ra, Roots of Peace cũng đang dự định thực hiện kế hoạch gây quỹ cho các bạn trẻ ở những vùng bị tác động bởi bom mìn tại Việt Nam:

“Chúng tôi cùng với 'Hội thân hữu Huế' có trụ sở tại California đang tiến tới việc gây quỹ vào tháng 5 năm nay. Chúng tôi sẽ phát động một chiến dịch quyên góp dành cho Việt Nam để xây trường và sân đá bóng cho trẻ em.”

Các chuyên gia tại Việt Nam cho rằng để đạt hiệu quả hơn nữa trong công tác xóa sạch mìn bẫy tại Việt Nam cần phối hợp nâng cao nhận thức và cảnh giác của người dân và các nguồn hỗ trợ mạnh mẽ của quốc tế.

“Những cảnh báo về tai nạn bom mìn cần phải được duy trì và lập đi lập lại. Để giúp Việt Nam khắc phục những hậu quả chiến tranh, cộng đồng quốc tế cũng nên có sự ưu tiên hỗ trợ mạnh hơn nữa cho Việt Nam để chúng tôi có đủ nguồn lực để rà phá những bom mìn còn sót lại.”

Một nạn nhân của mìn bẫy sau chiến tranh tên Quý Thí giờ đã trở thành một tình nguyện viên tuyên truyền về hiểm họa của mìn bẫy ở tỉnh Quảng Trị, bày tỏ mong ước:

“Mong muốn rằng những nạn nhân như chúng tôi có được một cuộc sống ấm no, hạnh phúc, không còn thấy bom mìn sót lại trên mãnh đất của mình nữa. Mong các cộng đồng giúp đỡ cho Việt Nam cũng như các nạn nhân mìn bẫy tại Việt Nam vượt qua nỗi khổ đó.”

Mong sao ước mơ bình dị này sẽ sớm trở thành hiện thực để những vết thương chiến tranh sớm được hàn gắn.

Đến đây Trà Mi xin chào tạm biệt quý vị. Mời quý vị và các bạn trở lại Tạp chí Thanh Niên của đài VOA, trong chương trình 10 giờ tối thứ ba tuần sau.

April 6, 2010

Project “Mines to Chocolate” in Vietnam

In April 2010 Vietnam celebrates the 35th anniversary of the country libration. Three decades after the devastating war ended, bloodshed and life loss still occur across Vietnam due to huge amounts of unexploded bombs mines remaining under the ground that are threatening the lives of local inhabitants at any time, particularly the young generations in rural areas that were born after the war.

Voice of America (VOA), Washington, DC
April 6, 2010

In April 2010 Vietnam celebrates the 35th anniversary of the country libration. Three decades after the devastating war ended, bloodshed and life loss still occur across Vietnam due to huge amounts of unexploded bombs mines remaining under the ground that are threatening the lives of local inhabitants at any time, particularly the young generations in rural areas that were born after the war.

According to the statistics, since the war ended in 1975, over 100,000 Vietnamese people died or were injured due to the unexploded bombs and mines under the ground. In the central province of Quang Tri, which is mostly affected by landmines, 80% of the province's area is still contaminated with landmines and bombs, and there are over 7,000 landmine victims; of whom, more than 2,000 died.

According to Mr Ngo Xuan Hien, an officer of the Renew Project:

“According to the Defense Ministry of Vietnam, there are 800 tons of unexploded landmines of different types remained under the ground after the war. However, according to the US Defense Ministry, the figure would be 1.5 tons.”

According to our assessment, 20% of the total land area in Vietnam is still contaminated with landmines and bombs.

Our landmine clearing activities are implemented with the humanitarian funding from the US government and other countries. Also, the Government of Vietnam has fund for landmine clearing activities implemented by the Ministry of Defense and the High Command of Engineering. Also, the Government of Vietnam is in charge of landmine clearance in the locations intended for large infrastructure projects.

Mr Hien also said that majority of landmine victims are young people and teenagers.

“For the young generations that were born after the war, their knowledge and understanding about the landmines are very limited. As a result, 31% of landmine victims are children. That is also the case for me. In 1980s when I was 12-13 years of age, I used to collect landmines to extract the explosive powder inside them to burn in order to light the celebration of the new year eve.”

For preventing the accident for children, the Government of Vietnam as well as projects like ours have integrated landline issues into their school curriculum. However, there are still landmine accidents due to the fact that local people have no choice but search for and collect materials to earn their living.

An 8X generation person, Nam Long living in Long Binh, Ho Nai 3, a location used to be an ammunition depot during the war, has an oldest brother who died and an older brother who was injured and became disabled due to collecting landmines and bombs to earn living for their family.

Nam Long said:

“I have two brothers, one was born in 1972 and the other in 1978. One died at spot when he was attempting to open a M79. The other brother born in 1978 was badly injured with one leg broken. In the past and even now, people here are poor and not fully aware about the risks associated with landmines.”

Another young person of 32 years old, Minh Quoc, an inhabitant in Long Binh Area was born as a normal baby as others. At 10, he became disabled as a consequence of playing with a bomb; which he simply thought as a metal piece. Quoc was lucky to escape from the Death but not his two brothers who died at spot when the bomb suddenly exploded.

Minh Quoc recalled:

“In 1988, one of my legs was broken, due to landmine explosion. It was an accident. I played with it as I thought it was a metal piece. By that time I was 10, attending grade 3 or 4 so I did not know about landmines. Vietnam is still a very poor country and we need more time to clear all landmines after the war. As Vietnam is still a less developed country, we do not receive as much support as those victims in other countries. Though there is still life loss due to landmine, we need to live with it. I am living in Binh Long, near the former ammunition depot. In the past, to earn a living, I used to open landmines and bombs to collect metal materials to sell, and one time there was a sudden explosion. When I returned home after months being hospitalized, I became to know that my two brothers died. I had not known this when it was exploded as by that time was too young and badly injured.”

For marking the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action declared by UN, on 4th April this year, the Roots of Peace, with its substantial experience in landmine clearance and removal worldwide, plans to implement a program “Mines to Chocolate” in Vietnam for landmine removal and land rehabilitation in order to bring bumper crops to local farmers instead of bloodshed resulting from landmine explosion.

After successful meetings with the Government of Vietnam, the Roots of Peace is awaiting the license for officially operating in Vietnam as a non-governmental organization (NGO). If everything is accomplished as planned, all deadly landmines remaining on the territory of Vietnam will gradually be converted into chocolate bars with the flavor of peaceful life, humanity, sympathy and sharing from the friends in the other side of the globe.

Roots of Peace, with the headquarter in California, USA was established in 1997 by Mrs Heidi Kühn as a humanitarian NGO to remove landmines in many places worldwide and at the same time improve the livelihoods of landmine affecting communities. In March 2010, Mrs. Kühn in person paid a visit to Vietnam with the aim of designing an economic rehabilitation program titled “conversion of landmine into chocolate” in Binh Phuoc Province, in the Southeastern region of Vietnam.

As a found and CEO of Roots of Peace, Mrs. Kühn said:

“We really want to introduce this model to Vietnam. After my son came to Vietnam, I can understand and feel the pains and losses with which Vietnamese mothers have burdened over the past 35 years after the war.”

“In Quang Tri Province where I had a chance to visit, 83% of land there is contaminated with landmines and bombs. The young generations, accounting for 60% of the country population are still affected by the legacy of what happened 3 decades ago on the territory of Vietnam. Therefore, I think we all have humanitarian responsibility to remove all landmines under the ground that are still threatening the lives of local inhabitants and help local farmers to grow seedlings for peace.”

Regarding the details of the project “Mines to Chocolate” in Vietnam, Mrs Heidi said:

“We wish to plant cocoa in the area like Binh Phuoc Province and in the landmined areas that are suitable for producing the highest quality cocoa, ranking only after Ghana in Africa.”

“At first, we will remove all landmines and then help local farmers to grow cocoa on those areas in order to improve their livelihoods, converting the bitterness of the war into the sweetness of the peaceful life via the sweet aroma of the chocolate bars.”

“We will heal their war wounds by introducing to them modern farming techniques to adapt to their poor and disadvantaged rural areas. Then we will help them to access the market for their cocoa.”

Although the pilot project in Binh Phuoc Province is designed to be implemented from Spring this year to Spring 2012, the founder of ROP said that after this project her organization would implement several other projects in other locations in Vietnam, particularly Quang Tri Province which is most heavily affected by landmines. In addition, ROP plans to raise funds for young generations in the areas that are affected by landmines and bombs.

“We and the Friends of Hue Foundation will organize campaigns to raise funds for building schools and soccer playgrounds for children in Vietnam.”

Experts in Vietnam believe that for more effective landmine clearing activities in Vietnam, it is necessary to make best of significant international support in combination with enhancing the awareness of local people about the landmines.

“Warning about the risks associated with landmines should be maintained over time. For overcoming the war legacy, the international community needs to provide more support to Vietnam to enable the country to have resources to remove all remaining landmines.“

A landmine victim, Quy Thi who is now a volunteer for awareness raising about landmines in Quang Tri Province, expressed:

“I do wish that all landmine victims like us will have comfortable and happy lives and do not see any landmines remaining on our lands. I do hope that the international community will help Vietnam and landmine victims to overcome their hardship.“

Wishing that their simple hope will soon come true in order to heal war wounds soon.

Now Tra Mi would like to say goodbye to you all. I would like to invite you to listen to our youth program on VOA at 10 PM on Tuesday next week.

RoP EC Strategy
AAIDO Support Project
AAIDO Support Project Budget

• Haiti:

Hillside Avocado Project

World Bank Grape Export Project
2009 Afghan Fresh Grape Value Chain to Pakistan and India
November 18, 2009

Results: Improved Production Techniques + Improved Post-harvest techniques + New Export Markets = higher farm gate prices for farmers and new, profitable markets for traders.

Total shipped this season through this project was 684mt through November 10th with shipments continuing. 5 Afghan traders participated in the project. The project provided technical assistance on grading, packing and refrigerated shipments. The traders paid all their costs, except ROP provided use of field harvest baskets for harvesting and ROP pack house for packing, chilling and storage prior to shipment. Traders received subsidies on a portion of the improved packaging.

The exports were part of a coordinated effort to work with farmers to improve the quality of their grapes and connect them with traders who graded the grapes, and shipped the best quality fruit to markets that paid higher prices for the top quality. Lower quality fruit was sold in the normal fashion to local markets or shipped to Peshawar, a market that does not pay higher prices for higher quality, or lower prices for lower quality. The coordinated effort paid off for the farmers who earned increased income from their higher yields and higher prices. The traders earned higher prices in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Delhi and Dubai.

The objective of this project is to demonstrate and document the value chain approach to improving agricultural industries. We are focusing on the grape industry centered at Mir Bacha Kot, Kabul Province as the test case. The value chain approach is to lead the industry actors in a study of the process of producing and marketing the product and to assist them to design and test improvements to the production and marketing of the product. MAIL-HLP contractor Roots of Peace, grape producers and marketers have implemented the following tests:

Production Tests

• 
  Pruning low-value grape clusters from vines early in the season Applying Gibberellin to Kishmish grapes
• Applying dipping oil to grapes to speed drying into raisins
• Testing solar-tent drying of raisins

Production Results

• Participating farmers were convinced of benefit of pruning secondary bunches
• Farmers were convinced of the benefits of Gibberellin: significant increase in marketable weight of fresh grapes and raisins and increased quality
• Quantity Increase: 61% yield increase†
• Quality Increase: 57% price increase on grapes with Gib applied Farmgate price of $0.32/kg versus $0.20/kg without Gib
• Farmers were convinced of the benefit of dipping oil: faster drying and increased market price of yellow raisins

Marketing Tests

• 
  Establishing profitable trade routes for large scale export
• Marketing to high-value Pakistani buyers beyond the traditional Peshawar auction market
• Test two new types of packaging of grapes in the Pakistani markets. The new, branded packages contain less quantity, but higher-grade grapes than the traditional packages. The new packaging is designed for buyers willing to pay for the highest-quality Afghan grapes
• Test of air transport of grapes to buyers in India
• Test of refrigerated land transport of grapes to Karachi (first step to transporting grapes to Dubai and Mumbai by sea)

Marketing Results – 654mt grapes shipped profitably

• Merchants convinced of the benefit of marketing beyond Peshawar to more profitable markets with graded fruits
• 180mt shipped to Islamabad & Lahore
• 40mt shipped by air transport to India. 11% margin for exporter with extremely high airport and handling costs in India
• 434mt shipped via refrigerated land transport to Karachi. Business is continuing. 16% margin for exporter
• Improved packaging earned prices 50% higher than plastic bag sales in Pakistan
• Test of new packaging incomplete. 7kg hybrid wooden box and 7kg cardboard box need further testing

Future Actions

• Promote improved grape production methods (pruning secondary bunches, Gib) to all Shamali grape farmers
• Ship thousands of metric tons to these new markets with graded fruit next harvest season
• Develop new Land & Sea route through Karachi to Mumbai and Dubai
• Continued testing of alternate packaging
• Test end of season cold storage potential
• Test up-graded raisin production
• Pakistani import taxes need to be addressed in Af-Pak Trade discussions
• Indian airport and handling fees need to be addressed

For detailed information on these tests, see Roots of Peace website for the project reports at www.rootsofpeace.org/resources.

For more information on the World Bank Horticulture and Livestock Program, contact Willie Ehret at wilhelm.ehret@gtz.de.

†Gibberellin Application on Keshmeshi Table Grape Shamali Pain, Kabul, Afghanistan 2008 by European Community, Perennial Horticultural Program

February 9, 2010

Editorial: $30 million grant helps local effort to cultivate world peace

HEIDI KÜHN of San Rafael is a perfect example of someone who decided she wanted to make a difference.

Editorial, Marin Independent Journal, San Rafael, California
February 9, 2010

HEIDI KÜHN of San Rafael is a perfect example of someone who decided she wanted to make a difference.

Her worldwide war on landmines was rewarded last week with a $30.4 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development. Kuhn's homegrown, heart-driven campaign that has turned deadly minefields in Afghanistan into productive farmland is now expanding to help struggling farmers grow better crops.

An Afghan farmer displays his thriving grapevines being
supported by the trellises installed by the San Rafael-based
Roots of Peace in 2006. (Roots of Peace)

The irony is inescapable.

The grant comes at a time when the United States is ramping up its military presence in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban and the terrorist influence of al-Qaida.

Restoring farmland at a time when Afghanistan remains a battlefield is no small challenge, but if there is a way, you can bet Kühn will make productive, life-saving progress.

From planting daffodils in the shape of a heart on San Rafael Hill to helping increase local public awareness about mines to helping Afghan farmers turn mine-riddled fields into safe and productive land for growing grapes, Kühn and the Roots of Peace organization she founded and leads have overcome daunting odds to become a major presence.

They deserve congratulations for being able, ready and willing to fulfill the goals of the federal grant.

The grant represents part of a major expansion for Roots of Peace; its budget will increase from $11.8 million in 2010 to about $50 million over the four years of the federal grant.

It also is the largest grant for agricultural development the United States has awarded to a nongovernmental group.

Heady stuff for a nonprofit that started in Marin.

Roots of Peace, which has 300 employees in Afghanistan, will use the grant to help 26,000 farmers switch from their reliance on growing poppies and cereal crops to such high-value crops as grapes, apples, pomegranates, cherries and almonds.

“This is big Taliban territory, but we're facing it with faith rather than fear,” said Kühn, whose group is working with the United Nations Mine Actions Service.

Her group's supporters include thousands of local children who have donated their penny collections, along with students across the country, to help plant the roots of peace. In addition to saving lives and promoting agriculture, Kühn's tireless efforts have made many Americans aware of landmines, a tragic legacy of war that keeps killing and maiming for years after the fighting has ended.

We applaud Heidi Kühn and Roots of Peace for cultivating hope for the future in an area of the world that desperately needs a helping hand.

February 4, 2010

Roots of Peace of San Rafael receives $30.4 million grant

San Rafael-based Roots of Peace has received a $30.4 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development to aid farmers in some of Afghanistan's most dangerous provinces.

Jennifer Upshaw Swartz, Marin Independent Journal, San Rafael, California
February 4, 2010

San Rafael-based Roots of Peace has received a $30.4 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development to aid farmers in some of Afghanistan's most dangerous provinces.

The grant, which will be distributed over four years, is the largest agricultural development grant the federal government has given to a nongovernmental organization, officials said. The infusion, along with several other new sources of funding, increases the agency's annual budget from $11.8 million in 2010 to nearly $50 million over the life of the grant.

Heidi Kühn, founder and CEO of San Rafael-based Roots of Peace,
and a local staff member visit with Wahidullah (center), a mine victim,
and his 2-year-old daughter, Khatara, in Bagram, Afghanistan, in November.
(Provided by Roots of Peace)

The nonprofit organization, the largest agricultural nonprofit in Afghanistan, removes mines from war-torn areas and then turns abandoned mine fields into productive farms. Roots of Peace, which employs 300 people in Afghanistan, has operations in 20 of the 34 provinces in the nation.

“This is a victory for Marin,” said Heidi Kühn, Roots of Peace founder and chief executive officer, who announced Thursday that the organization also will begin partnering with the United Nations Mine Action Service in place of the now-defunct group Adopt-A-Minefield.

“We're very, very excited,” she said of the USAID grant. “It's amazing. I'm humbled. We're facing this war on terrorism from the bottom up, not the top down.”

Through USAID's Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing Program, Roots of Peace will work with 26,000 rural farmers to double their income from below-subsistence levels, government officials said.

The money will go toward expanding existing agricultural programs, which seek to replace cereal and poppy crops with high-value foods such as apples, grapes, pomegranates, cherries and almonds in 11 provinces, Kühn said. Farmers will contribute $4.5 million of their own funds to pay the costs of the new orchards and vineyards, government officials said.

“This is big Taliban territory, but we're facing it with faith rather than fear,” Kühn said. “You have to have faith in what you're doing and the good people around you.”

Jalalabad, once a citrus production area now decimated by war, neglect, drought and disease, will be rebuilt by the U.S. government agency.

“Agriculture is an important part of the Afghan life and helping Afghan farmers is a top priority for both the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States government,” said William M. Frej, USAID mission director to Afghanistan. “We are pleased to be able to help (non-government groups) such as Roots of Peace promote agriculture in this country.”