From UXO Survivor to Advocate: Peter's Journey in Laos

Peter (Phongsavath Manithong), a former unexploded ordnance (UXO) survivor in Laos, has transformed into a national advocate for disability rights. Speaking on the sidelines of the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), Peter, an executive board member of the Association for Persons with Disabilities and Underprivileged Association (PUA), shared his remarkable journey. Representing the PUA, Peter highlighted ongoing efforts to elevate support for survivors on the international stage. The PUA-organized side event, held in conjunction with the conference, featured keynote remarks from the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for UXO/Mine Action in Laos and the Embassy of Luxembourg in Vientiane, focusing on three key pillars: survivor-led advocacy, cultural campaigning, and high-level addresses. Peter emphasized that meaningful progress in victim assistance requires the active inclusion of disabled people's organizations (DPOs) and local NGOs in all stages of project planning and evaluation, aligning with the spirit of the Vientiane Action Plan. His path to advocacy began with personal tragedy. In 2008, just before his 16th birthday in Phonthong village, Vangvieng district, Vientiane Province, a UXO device detonated while he was playing with friends. As the son of subsistence farmers facing severe financial constraints, Peter's recovery demanded immense personal resilience. He taught himself independent living skills, refusing to let his injuries define his future. Relocating to Vientiane, Peter volunteered for five years with Handicap International as a UXO awareness campaigner. He later secured a scholarship to study English and received specialized training in peer counseling and psychological support. Over the past decade, he has counseled nearly 300 UXO survivors and individuals with disabilities. As a co-founder of the PUA, he continues to champion vocational training, from agriculture to woodcarving, to help survivors achieve sustainable livelihoods. "I saw a light at the end of the tunnel, and that gave me the strength to stand up and fight back without giving up," Peter reflected during his media interview.