SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Jan. 18 — Farmer Sang Yon and his fellow villagers here in northwest Cambodia no longer live in fear of the danger caused by war-left landmines and unexploded ordnances (UXOs) after a China-aided project has helped get rid of the threats to their lives. Chhrey village in Chi Kraeng district’s Khvav commune, about 90 km northeast of the Siem Reap provincial town, was formerly a battlefield riddled with mines and UXOs. Casualties were frequently reported in the past, and villagers did not dare to farm a large portion of the land. But the situation has changed after the land was cleared of mines and UXOs by the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) under the China-Aided Cambodia Landmines Elimination Project.
Sang Yon, the 52-year-old father of four children, said he witnessed his brother-in-law lost one leg after stepping on an antipersonnel landmine while he walked to his rice fields in 2000.
“We were shocked and gravely concerned at that time when CMAC had not yet carried out any mine clearance project here,” he told Xinhua on Tuesday. “But since the China-aided CMAC deminers have searched and cleaned up mines and UXOs here, I have not heard any mine incidents anymore. We’re very happy and have no fear or worry when we walk somewhere.” Sang Yon said previously, he grew rice and potatoes on a land of 1 hectare, but after all parts of his land were cleared of mines and UXOs, he has expanded farming to about 20 hectares.
Ry Sareout, a 37-year-old farmer in Khvav village in the same commune, said villagers are now safe to go anywhere and to do the farming.
The mother of three children said she also witnessed her auntie lost both legs after stepping on a landmine near her farm more than a decade ago. “But now, there are no more landmines in our village. We are now safe to grow rice or other crops, and tractors can be used to plow farmland without fear of mines,” she told Xinhua.
