Bombie Family Interview Part 1

This is an interview with a Lao man and his three young daughters in 2004 about a year after his wife was killed by a bombie when they were working on their rice paddy. I had met him two weeks after the bombie incident while I was leading my second study tour to Laos and we were in Phonsavan to visit the Plain of Jars and visit the UXO Lao facilities because I wanted the teachers to see what the legacy the Lao faced after American bombing during the Secret War. A Tragic UXO Story

Bounpheng is a medical assistant in the Lao army earning about $15 (150,000 kip) a month. Life had been a constant struggle for him and his wife and three daughters, ages 5, 3, and 1 and finally after five years he and his wife saved enough money to buy a small plot of land which they then planned to develop into a rice paddy. One morning in early June 2003 he, his wife and children all walked to their newly acquired land where he and his wife then began the arduous work of preparing it for rice planting. In the middle of the land, there was a pile of dirt that looked like a termite hill. He and his wife tried to flatten the termite hill and as noon time approached his wife told him to leave early to take care of the baby so she could continue to work a little bit more. As soon as Bounpheng turned away, he heard a loud explosion and saw his wife laying on the ground covered in blood.

There was no one near he could call for help and so he picked up his wifes limp and lifeless body and carried it back to his home. His five year daughter carried the baby and all were crying, wondering what had happened to their mother.

Back at his home other villagers came and saw there was nothing they could do for his wife, but saw that he too had been injured and was taken to the hospital. The village helped him out with the funeral of his wife, but he was not provided any compensation by the government and his army unit only gave him 25,000 kip, about $2.50

He and his wife had thought the land was safe, as it had been farmed before, and the termite hill was small, but as his wife had been chopping at some roots there must have been a bombie lodged unseen.

Where life had been a struggle before his wife had died, but with the hope that together they could work together at improving their life, no life seems overwhelming, with little hope. Bounpheng is an orphan and so doesnt have any relatives to help him with taking care of his children and often has to take his children to work.

Laos Essential Artistry and Jim Harris, from Wausau, Wisconsin, have provided some monetary support (approximately $200), with the goal that Bounpheng makes sure his daughters stay in school. The oldest daughter should be about 12 years old now (Feb. 2010)

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Laos
• UXO
• Xieng Khuang
• bombies
• Phonsavan

[peterlaos]

Ok, so who are you, E7T39E????

[E7T39E]

Hey, I hear Mr. Whittlesey's voice. How kind of you to take your time to interview them. They are so lovely, and I am really sorry for their loss. I wish them the best in life.

[145cvb]

Thank you for this story. The US should do more to help clear UXOs. After more than 30 yrs after the war, the people are still suffering.

[SiNgHayStyle]

you have a beautiful family

[SiNgHayStyle]

Thank You Peter