To: Hon. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
cc: The White House
From:
Douglas A. Hartwick, Amb. (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2001-2004
Patricia M. Haslach, Amb (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2004-2007
Victor L. Tomseth, Amb (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 1993-1996
Wendy J. Chamberlin, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 1996-1999
Harriet W. Isom, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 1986-1989
Charles Salmon, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 1989-1993
Ravic R. Huso, Amb. (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2007-2010
Daniel A. Clune, Esq., Amb. (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2013-2016
Karen B. Stewart, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2010-2013
Charles A. Ray, Amb (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, 2002-2005
Kenneth M. Quinn, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, 1996-1999
Charles H. Twining, Amb. (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, 1994-1995
Ted Osius, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 2014-2017
Pete Peterson, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 1997-2001
Michael Michalak, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 2007-2011
David Shear, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 2011-2014
Raymond Burghardt, Amb. (Ret.) U. S. To Ambassador to Vietnam , 2001-2004
Dear Honorable Secretary Rubio:
We are writing to urge you to end the 90 day stop work order for U.S. foreign assistance programming that suspends U.S.-funded mine clearance programs. A waiver or quick and affirmative review for these programs 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.
We completely understand the importance of a new administration reviewing assistance programs. That is an important thing to do. But doing so under a 3-month suspension, in still fragile post-conflict settings, risks seriously setting back or even causing programs to disappear entirely.
Clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) is in the best interest of our country. Clearing land of UXO allows the U.S. 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. 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 U.S. and other funders.
These programs also benefit U.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 threatens the lives of U.S. personnel in the region, contractors, and aid workers.
Mine clearance operators work at great personal risk to carefully and painstakingly survey, clear and destroy landmines and unexploded ordnance and release cleared land back to communities for farming, industry, infrastructure and other uses. With an average of 15 casualties a day worldwide from the explosive remnants of war – about half of which are children – these clearance efforts are critical to saving lives. In 2023 alone, U.S. funded programs cleared over 47,000 acres of land and provided medical and rehabilitative care to over 71,000 survivors of explosive remnants of war.
The U.S. 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 defense, economic growth, and people-to-people connections. As former Ambassadors, we can attest that these programs helped us advance US interests by generating goodwill and providing access to senior government officials.
As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-Vietnam relations and the 40th anniversary of U.S.-Laos collaboration on recovering MIA personnel, we reflect on the significant progress made in Southeast Asia. Our continued investments in areas like land clearance and other development initiatives will only strengthen these vital ties and drive even greater mutual success moving forward.
We thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this important matter.
