A celebration declares Kratie province officially mine-free, making it the Kingdom’s 15th administrative division to earn the accolade, on March 26. CMAA
Prime Minister Hun Manet has lauded the announcement of three provinces as mine-free as some of the greatest achievements of the seventh-mandate government, adding that his administration is proud to have freed numerous people from the threat of landmines.
He shared his sentiment in a March 26 social media post celebrating the declaration of Kratie province as mine-free.
“March 26, 2024 is a historic day. The people of Kratie are now free from the threat of landmines! Kratie is the 15th administrative division to be declared mine-free throughout the Kingdom,” he said.
Manet added that in the two decades spanning 2003 to 2023, the operators of three demining organisations – the National Centre for Peacekeeping Force, Mine, and ERW Clearance (NPMEC), the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), and international demining NGO HALO Trust – cleared more than 133sq km of 795 landmines and about 60,000 other explosive remnants of war (ERWs) in the province, benefitting nearly 400,000 people.
He referred to the mine-free declaration as one of the proudest achievements of the seventh-mandate government, and thanked the “Mine-Free Cambodia 2025 Fund” and the Samdech Techo Project for Mine Action (STP-MA) for their financial support, as well as the generous participation of friendly countries, development partners and philanthropists.
“In just over three months of this mandate’s term, three provinces have been declared mine-free: Kampong Speu, Mondulkiri and Kratie,” he said.
During the March 26 celebrations of Kratie becoming the 15th free-mine administrative division, Ly Thuch, first vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), described the declaration as a direct result of the close attention and vision of the government leadership, which would only have been possible thanks to the peace brought about by win-win politics.
“Kratie is one of three provinces that have been declared as mine-free since Manet took office. This is testament to his patriotism, and how hard he is working to serve the nation and its people,” he said.
Men Sam An, a member of the Supreme Privy Council to the King, also addressed the ceremony.
“To honour the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the nation, we must work together to maintain peace and do only good deeds,” she said.
“I urge the CMAA to identify all remaining areas which contain minefields or ERWs, and ensure they are clearly marked, so the public can keep themselves safe and avoid any unfortunate accidents,” she added.
She also called on the CMAA and other domestic and international demining operators to work with community authorities to educate the public about the hidden danger of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).
According to the CMAA, between 1992 and 2023, 3,024sq km of land was rendered free from the threat of landmines and ERWs, benefitting an estimated 11 million people.
It said 76 per cent of the cleared land is now under cultivation, while five per cent is being used for infrastructure development. The remainder of the land is now home to schools, health centres and private houses, instead of the silent killers that were testament to the Kingdom’s tragic past.
Even more significant is the reduction in the numbers of Cambodians falling victim to landmines and ERWs. The figure dropped from 4,320 in 1996 to just 32 in 2023.The annual average fell below 100 in 2009, and below 50 in 2019.
