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PCL Accredited in Cambodia
December 15, 2006 - PCL has received accreditation as a commercial clearance agency in Cambodia.
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Nam Theun 2 Power Project Press Release
September 14, 2006 - As progress continues on the Nam Theun 2 Power Project in Khammouane Province changes continue to occur in the lives of resettled villagers. Approximately 6,000 people living in 18 affected villages are in the process of moving to newly-constructed homes located beyond the boundaries of a future reservoir.
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| For immediate release |
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PHOENIX CLEARANCE LIMITED, Laos
PRESS RELEASE
September 14, 2006
Phoenix Clearance Ltd.
Vientiane
Lao People's Democratic Republic
As progress continues on the Nam Theun 2 Power Project in Khammouane Province changes continue to occur in the lives of resettled villagers. Approximately 6,000 people living in 18 affected villages are in the process of moving to newly-constructed homes located beyond the boundaries of a future reservoir.
Phoenix Clearance LTD, a commercial bomb and landline clearance company, has been contracted by the Nam Theum 2 Power Company to provide a rapid response whenever villagers find unexploded ordnance beyond their cleared home sites and agricultural areas. To provide this service PCL created the "PCL Response Team" and committed staff to developing a strong working relationship with each of the affected villages.
PCL is finding ordnance. Since the program began in April, 2006, villagers have led the Response Team to over 1,200 pieces of ordnance, all potentially lethal.
However, PCL is finding more than unexploded ordnance, or "UXO". Because the Response Team spends hours or even days on site when ordnance is found, the staff gets an inside look at village life that is unequaled by many other companies, agencies or organizations. Through these contacts PCL staff have identified numerous victims of accidents with ordnance. Jim Harris, PCL Technical Advisor explains:
"Our staff talks UXO safety with hundreds of villagers every week. It's no surprise that the people we meet join in and share their own stories. Often, they take us to meet survivors of accidents. Sadly, we often find that these wounded villagers lack any knowledge of services that are available to them".
Recently PCL decided to connect disabled villagers with services. The company contacted a non-governmental organization named COPE (Cooperative Orthotics and Prosthetics Enterprise) and inquired on behalf of five villagers in Nakai district, all of whom need prosthetic limbs. After PCL confirmed that the villagers could receive services at the National Rehabilitation Center in Vientiane, the company dispatched a vehicle, driver and interpreter to bring the patients to the center. The patients are now receiving long overdue medical treatment and are being fitted with new limbs.
While arranging transportation for the victims of UXO, Harris learned of addition amputees who have lost limbs in farming and industrial accidents. PCL transported these individuals to Vientiane as well.
In addition, Harris contacted an American-based NGO that he knew would be interested in assisting victims. That organization responded with a donation to help COPE offset the cost of treatment.
Over the next month the Khammouane villagers will reside at the Rehabilitation Center and PCL staff will monitor their progress. Two of the patients need prosthetic arms. One of the patients is a double amputee, having lost both arms and an eye to a cluster bomb accident five years ago. The remaining three patients are in need of prosthetic legs.
Harris feels that helping these victims will help their villages as well. He explained:
"When these patients return to their homes they will be the talk of their villages. That will create an atmosphere in which our Community Awareness staff can effectively deliver our UXO safety messages. Hopefully the tragic accidents that these people have experienced will help educate others and prevent future accidents from occurring".
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