Loving the Country You Advocate For: My Experience with Legacies of War in Laos
- Danae Hendrickson
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
From the desk of: Gillian Flude, Project Officer, Mine Action Canada
It’s been one year since my visit to Vientiane, Laos with Legacies of War, but the memories from the trip feel much closer. I was so honoured to be personally invited by Sera, Legacies of War’s incredible “KOUL-mander in Chief”. The entire trip was a testament to Sera and the Legacies of War team’s love of Laos, a love that is impossible not to feel yourself once you hear Sera speak about the land, the people, and their struggle against unexploded ordnance after America’s Secret War.
For the last three and a half years, I have been the Project Officer at Mines Action Canada, a Canadian humanitarian disarmament advocacy organization with a focus on uplifting youth in disarmament.
I got involved with Mines Action Canada while I was still in university, in my program Conflict Studies and Human Rights. I chose this program because throughout high school, I was always interested in conflict and the impact it had on people. I knew that there had to be ways to minimize this devastating impact. So, when I learned about an internship opportunity with a humanitarian disarmament organization through my University, I was compelled to apply. Instantly, I was drawn into this field because I saw it as the intersection between the two topics I was studying: conflict and human rights. I was pleased to become an international intern with Mines Action Canada and the South Sudan Action Network on Small Arms and this is when I became familiar with the principles of humanitarian disarmament. I never knew about the major impact that unexploded ordnance has on recovering communities, and how it hinders development. Since Mines Action Canada focuses on uplifting youth, soon after starting in my position I had the chance to meet youth from around the world who are part of our global youth program, the Mine Action Fellows, and this really inspired me. Meeting other people who care so deeply about mine action drove my passion to help solve this global problem.
It is through my work at Mines Action Canada that I got to know Legacies of War, as many of their wonderful interns and young advocates are part of the Mine Action Fellows program. From the Mine Action Fellows who work with Legacies of War, I learned about the history of America’s secret war on Laos, and the absolute devastation their planeloads of bombs have had on the land for decades. They taught me the mind-boggling statistics: America dropped at least 2.5 million tons of explosive ordnance on Laos; an estimated 80 million cluster munitions remain unexploded; and only 10% of the land has been cleared even though it’s been over 50 years since the war has ended. Once learning the truth and hearing the numbers, it doesn’t take long to feel passionate about advocating for increased American funding for clearance.
Of course, this is about much more than numbers and my trip to Vientiane really demonstrated that. At the heart of humanitarian disarmament are people, which Legacies of War exemplifies. Something I really appreciated about how Legacies of War structured the trip was the importance they placed on getting to know Laos outside of the context of unexploded ordnance. We took a trip to the newly opened textile museum to appreciate beautiful woven clothing handcrafted up to 100 years ago; we visited a weaving studio to witness the artistry of Lao sinhs (traditional Lao skirts) being handmade; we walked through the awe-inspiring Buddha Park to admire the statues of Buddha; we went to Pha That Luang Temple to give respect; and of course, we ate very well by visiting multiple local restaurants making delicious food! I think my favourite memory was going to the night market with Khamsone Sirimanivong, the Vice-Chair of Legacies of War’s Board of Directors. She was determined for me to find the perfect Lao sinh to commemorate my experience in Laos and appreciate the beauty and culture woven into the skirts. She was so excited when we found the right sinh for me, and I was too - it was such a special moment. We were so excited, we ended up buying a second one!
I remember Sera saying that when Legacies of War plans trips, they always include activities that appreciate Lao culture to make people fall in love with the beautiful country that they are advocating for. If you have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the land, its people, and its culture, your advocacy becomes that much more powerful.
So, of course our agenda in Laos also included multiple meetings with Legacies of War’s partners in Laos such as Humanity and Inclusion, COPE Laos, and the United Nations Development Program. In our meetings with these partners, we all had the chance to get to know each other, share our work, and ask questions. This built a stronger sense of community and connection for all of us working towards the same goal. Learning about what each organization is doing to advance mine action efforts in Laos was so interesting - there really are so many gears all turning to lead to the final outcome of cleared land and safer people.
We also had the opportunity to visit the United States Embassy where we spoke directly to Ambassador Heather Variava about the issue of unexploded ordnance. To have the chance for advocacy initiatives while in Laos was extremely valuable, as it gave a platform to speak with decision makers about these important issues. Legacies of War also conducted an interview with Ambassador Heather Variava which I had the pleasure of witnessing. They asked questions to Ambassador Variava about contamination in Laos, and the interview was posted on their social media. Seeing how Legacies of War leverages their connections and creates meaningful content was very useful for me. Legacies of War have always stood out for their storytelling, so seeing how they use this skill to create a message for both decision makers and the general public was enlightening.
It has been one year since my trip to Vientiane, Laos with Legacies of War. In that year, I have not forgotten the experience Legacies of War provided me with. Whenever there is a chance to discuss cluster munition contamination, I try to make sure that Laos is in the discussion and Legacies of War’s work is highlighted. Most recently, I attended an event called “Forgotten Crises and Implications for Women, Peace, and Security,” where participants were invited to write down a “forgotten” crisis that is important to us, which will then be hung on the feminist peace tree. What came to mind first for me was Laos, so I wrote down “Unexploded ordnance contamination in Laos, still harming people and communities 50 years later.” Also, I’d like to note that forgotten is in scare quotes because while it may be forgotten by the international community or decision makers at large, there are many people working and advocating for these crises including Legacies of War, Mines Action Canada, and hundreds of other organizations around the world.
The Review Conference for the Convention on Cluster Munitions is next year, and it’s so important that it’s being held in Laos. For delegates to come to this beautiful country, and understand more closely the impact that unexploded cluster munitions has had will be a powerful reminder for states and civil society to commit to this life-saving work. I hope to attend as well, and I can’t wait to go back to Laos!
I remember how inspired I was when I heard how successful Legacies of War has been in their advocacy. Since 2004, Legacies of War has gotten American funding to clearance efforts in Laos to increase from $1.4 million to $40 million. They have such a strong strategy, clear goal, and a passionate team that demonstrates how effective advocacy can be. To me, it seems that their love for Laos is the driving force behind their success which is a lesson I believe many advocates can learn from - to not forget who you’re advocating for.
