Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mines Advisory Group
Opposite the restaurant
Simmaly
on Route 7 ∙ Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat & Sun 4-8pm; films daily at 4.30pm,
5.30pm & 6.30pm ∙ Free, donations welcome ∙
maginternational.org
If you're visiting the Plain of Jars, be sure to stop in at the
Mines Advisory Group (MAG)
,
which is carrying out vital work, not only in deactivating UXO but in educating and inform-
ing local people, especially farmers and those involved in the scrap metal trade. An inform-
ative display provides an introduction to the work they are doing, with photographs making
vividly clear the horrifying risks that UXO pose to local lives. Free films are shown every
evening; this is a great opportunity to find out more about the UXO situation and the work
that MAG does.
UXO Survivor Information Centre
Just west of the Mines Advisory Group on Route 7 ∙ Mon & Tues 8am-4pm, Wed-Sun noon-8pm ∙ Free, dona-
tions welcome ∙
facebook.com/qlacenter
The colourful
UXO Survivor Information Centre
, run by a local non-profit group, acts as
a kind of museum, providing visitors with a down-to-earth look at the challenges faced by
UXO survivors. The eye-opening exhibits include a map showing the extent of the areas still
affected by UXO (around a third of the two million tonnes of ordnance dropped remains un-
exploded), while signboards describe post-explosion problems, such as how poor roads and
old vehicles conspire to hamper attempts to save victims' lives. Most shocking are the in-
formation centre's blackboards showing recent UXO survivors. Sadly, the list continues to be
updated with new names, along with the date of the accident (many are recent) and the extent
of the victims' injuries.
