COPE Centre

So, whilst waiting for our vietnamese visas today we went to a place called the COPE centre across the city. COPE is a centre that details the effects of an american bomb campaign on Laos during the second world war, and how it affected the country then and still now. The time is known as 'the secret war' and it serious was, I had no idea that there was such a campaign on Laos, but it did happen:

http://www.copelaos.org/index.html

American forces dropped over 250million bombs on Laos over the space of 9 years. Around 78million of these didn't detonate and are still live somewhere in Laos. Every year 300 local Laos people die from accidently setting these devices off, many of them being children. It's genuinely shocking to hear the statistics, and to see the photographs, especially since most people who visit the centre have no idea it even happened. They sure don't teach that part of history in schools back home. I found it quite disgusting that something like this happened and so many people don't know about it, Laos is such a lovely country with laid back people and it has such a terribly history. Other countries have spent years abusing it, stealing land etc. It's really really sad. If you can, please read through the website and spread the word about the COPE project, as it really needs to be highlighted.