The CMAA’s Ly Thuch (third left) and other officials declare Kampong Cham a mine-free province on February 16. CMAC
Senior Minister Ly Thuch, first vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), declared Kampong Cham province mine-free in a February 16 ceremony.
“Today is a historic day. We are proud to announce that the people of Kampong Cham have been freed from the threat of landmines. This is the value of peace under the win-win policy of Prime Minister Hun Sen, and we should always remember this in our hearts,” said Thuch.
The ceremony was presided over by Hun Manith, deputy director of the Office of the Prime Minister Hun Sen and general director of the Defence Ministry’s Military Intelligence Department.
Stung Treng, Kep, Prey Veng, Preah Sihanouk and Tbong Khmum – were mine-free by mid-December last year.
According to the CMAA, as of December 2022, a total of 46.2sq km of suspected mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) areas – spread across 349 mine fields – have been cleared in the province. 1,406 anti-personnel mines, 142 anti-tank mines and 63,574 other unexploded ordnance were found and destroyed.
The operation was conducted by two Cambodian demining organisations, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) and the National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces Mine and ERW Clearance (NPMEC).
CMAC cleared 11 minefields, totalling 1,003,136sq m, according to the national mine database.
“We have to bear in mind that a mine-free village or commune is not guaranteed to be free from the threat of other unexploded ordnance. Although we have announced that Kampong Cham is mine-free, more than 67sq km is suspected of containing cluster munitions and other unexploded ordnance,” said Thuch.
“The work of clearing mines and explosive remnants of war in Cambodia began after the liberation in 1979, but it was not until 1992 that large-scale demining began,” he added.
“In the last 30 years, Cambodia has cleared 2,554 sq km of landmines, found and destroyed millions of landmines and explosive remnants of war and benefited more than nine million people.
“We were one of the first countries in the world to carry out large-scale humanitarian demining, are internationally recognised as experts in the field and are ranked as the number one country in the world for cleared area,” he continued.
Despite the best efforts of the government and its development partners, approximately 1,976sq km – home to more than 1.1 million people – is suspected to contain these reminders of the Kingdom’s tragic past.
CMAC director-general Heng Ratana said via social media that CMAC had carried out its operation in Kampong Cham under the Samdech Techo Project for Mine Action, which operates under the slogan “Providing safe ground, creating smiles”. CMAC began its work on August 15 last year, and completed it by the end of November.
“The total elimination of anti-personnel mines across the province is one of our greatest achievements,” he said.
Ratana reminded the public and authorities at all levels to remain mindful of the risks posed by remnants of war.
The next province to be declared mine-free is Kampong Chhnang, with a ceremony is scheduled for March 1, according to the Kampong Chhnang Provincial Mines Authority.
