CMAA first vice-president Ly Thuch addresses authorities, students and residents of Preah Vihear province’s Choam Ksan district to raise landmine awareness on August 15. CMAA
The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) has ramped up its educational campaign in Preah Vihear province’s Choam Ksan district, aiming to raise awareness about the dangers of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the area, which has seen the highest number of incidents this year.
The campaign was led by Senior Minister and CMAA first vice-president Ly Thuch on August 15, with hundreds of participants, including local authorities, students and residents.
Thuch expressed deep concern over the increase in landmine and UXO casualties this year. He noted that in the first seven months of this year alone, there were 37 casualties, a 61 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023, when 23 incidents were recorded.
"The accidents not only result in loss of life, injuries and disabilities, but also cause significant damage in terms of property and lead to long-term socio-economic problems,” the CMAA said in a statement.
Thuch acknowledged the government's significant progress in clearing mines but emphasied that accidents continue to occur, particularly in suspected and unidentified minefields.
He urged all national and international operators to cooperate more actively with local authorities, teachers and citizens to increase their participation in raising awareness about the dangers of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW).
In a separate incident on August 13, specialised forces from the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) cleared and transported a bomb found in the middle of a rice field in Kandal province’s Kandal Stung district. The bomb was identified as an M117, weighing about 340 kilogrammes and measuring about two metres in length.
According to CMAC, such bombs were dropped in large quantities by B-52G warplanes during the Indochina War.
The centre also issued a warning to the public, particularly those living in areas suspected of containing landmines or UXOs. It cautioned that during the rainy season, mines and ERW could be shifted by water or emerge from the soil where they have been buried for many years.
“Please do not touch these mines, and if you see mines being exposed or moved by water, please mark the location and report it to CMAC,” it advised in a statement earlier this week.
