16 US envoys urge Rubio to unfreeze funds for global mine clearance

Washington DC — More than a dozen former US Ambassadors to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to end the 90-day stop work order for US foreign assistance programming that suspends US-funded mine clearance programmes worldwide.

"A waiver or quick and affirmative review for these programmes which includes global demining operations, victim assistance and explosive ordnance risk education, is urgently needed to allow demining professionals to get back to their vital life-saving work," demands the letter signed by 16 ex-envoys and shared on Wednesday with TRT World by campaigners.

"We completely understand the importance of a new administration reviewing assistance programs. That is an important thing to do. But doing so under a three-month suspension, in still fragile post-conflict settings, risks seriously setting back or even causing programmes to disappear entirely," the letter reads.

US President Donald Trump, in his first week in office, signed an executive order freezing all foreign aid for 90 days to review whether it aligns with the administration's America First priorities.

Thousands of casualties are caused every year by anti-personnel or anti-vehicle mines affecting some 70 countries and territories where 110 million active landmines still pose a danger to human lives.

Campaigners says without the crucial funding from the US — that has bombed dozens of countries since WW2 but also leads in global demining efforts — demining work in around 30 countries will be affected.

The ex-envoys, including Douglas A. Hartwick, Charles A. Ray, Ted Osius and others, argued that the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance (or UXO) "is in the best interest of our country."

"Clearing land of UXO allows the US to provide a highly visible demonstration of American support to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, countries in a region of immense strategic importance to the United States," the envoys insisted.

"Demining not only saves lives but provides a measurable benefit by making contaminated land usable for agricultural activities and infrastructure building, boosting their economies and promoting self-sufficiency – relying less on aid from the US and other funders."

Healing past wounds

The former American diplomats said the US-funded programmes also benefit America's national security by reducing the risk of proliferation of explosive materials to potential bad actors who may re-purpose UXO for their benefit leading to violence or instability.

"Left uncleared, landmines and unexploded ordnance also threaten the lives of US personnel in the region, contractors, and aid workers," the envoys added.

In Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, the US is the largest funder of demining work.

In these Southeast Asian nations, efforts are ongoing to clear unexploded bombs, including cluster munitions, that were dropped by the American forces during the Vietnam War over 50 years ago.

During the "shadow war" from 1964 to 1973, the US dropped more than 2 million tonnes of bombs on Laos, making it the most heavily bombed country in history on a per capita basis.

The US partnership with Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam on important issues — such as mines and UXO clearance, dioxin remediation, and the search for Missing in Action personnel — has not only helped heal past wounds but has also fostered reconciliation and expanded cooperation in defence, economic growth, and people-to-people connections, the envoys argued.

"As former Ambassadors, we can attest that these programmes helped us advance US interests by generating goodwill and providing access to senior government officials," they said.