Kien's speech

Ladies and gentlemen!

I’m Le Kien, an ERW survivor, from Vietnam.

Firstly, I would like to say thank you to the Handicap International for inviting me to this event.

In 1991, while gardening, I had an accident caused by a cluster bomb. I lost my left leg and my daughter who was playing near me died. She was 4 years old at that time. Anytime when I remember the accident, I feel very heart-broken.

After the accident, my family has encountered financial difficulties because I was the bread-winner and that I’m not healthy enough to support the family. Therefore, we have been living in misery and want.

Ladies and gentlemen!

Today, on the event of groundbreaking new report entitled “Voices from the Ground- Landmine and Explosive Remnants of War Survivors Speak out on Victim Assistance” and the photo exhibition “Fatal Footprint” , I would like to speak up the voice of an ERW survivors on behalf of thousands of the survivors living in Vietnam. I would like to appeal to humanitarian organizations to provide assistance to ERW survivors in terms of:

1) Medical care

2) Physical Rehabilitation

3) Psychological support and social reintegration

4) Economic reintegration and income generation

I’m here today with my wife behind me. We participate in the Ban Advocate for Cluster Munitions Convention organized by the Handicap International. I realize it’s a very meaningful and practical activity. I have a dream of a peaceful world in which cluster munitions are banned by all countries forever for the sake of our children who will have a safe environment to study and prosper. Therefore, I call on more countries to jointly participate in this global effort to make it happen by signing, ratifying and putting the convention into practice and implement the Convention very soon.

Wish you all have a good time and happiness.

Thank you very much.

Le Kien

Huong's speech

Ladies and gentlemen!

I’m very honored to be here at the release of the report “Voices from the Ground- Landmine and Explosive Remnants of War Survivors Speak out on Victim Assistance” and the photo exhibition “Fatal Footprint”. Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to the host country- China and the Handicap International for giving me the opportunity to be here today.

My name is Nguyen Thi Huong, an indirect ERW victim, from Vietnam.

In 1991, while gardening, unluckily, my husband had an accident caused by a cluster bomb. He's also here today, seating nearby me. He lost his left leg; and my four-years-old daughter who was playing close died. This accident has broken our hearts. Nothing could compensate for the dolour of my life.

After the accident, my family has suffered a lot of difficulties. My husband, who used to be the bread-winner of my family, became disable forever. The entire burden has been putting on my shoulder.

Ladies and gentlemen!

I would like to take the opportunity to appeal to humanitarian organizations, international community to provide assistance to ERW survivors in terms of medical care, psychological support and social reintegration and especially economic reintegration and income generation. This way, we can have a stable job and a better life.

I’m very lucky to join the Ban Advocates for Cluster Munitions Convention organized by Handicap International. I call on the countries that have not participated yet will quickly sign and ratify and putting the convention into practice and implement the Convention very soon so as we, the ERW survivors will receive more support from the international community to improve the standard of life.

Wish you all have a good health and successful.

Thank you very much.

Nguyen Thi Huong

More information on the events organized in Beijing can be found:

http://en.handicapinternational.be/Fatal-Footprint-in-Beijing_a662.html

http://french.china.org.cn/news/txt/2009-12/16/content_19079426.htm (in French)