Tragic Incident Claims Lives of Two Cambodian Mine Clearance Workers
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Synopsis
Two Cambodian demining specialists tragically lost their lives while clearing an anti-tank mine from a rice field, highlighting the ongoing dangers of landmines in Cambodia, a country still recovering from decades of conflict.
Key Takeaways
- Two deminers killed while clearing an anti-tank mine.
- Incident occurred in Trapeang Prey, Oddar Meanchey.
- Cambodia has 4-6 million landmines remaining.
- 19,834 lives lost from landmines since 1979.
- Efforts continue to clear over 1,600 square kilometers of contaminated land.
Phnom Penh, Jan 17 (NationPress) Two Cambodian demining specialists tragically lost their lives while attempting to safely eliminate an anti-tank mine from a farmer's rice field, as reported by the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC).
This unfortunate event occurred in Trapeang Prey village, located in the northwestern Oddar Meanchey province's Trapeang Prasat district on Thursday during a mine clearance mission, the CMAC statement revealed, identifying the victims as Pov Nepin and Oeun Channara, according to Xinhua news agency.
The statement indicated, "The two specialists were killed during an anti-tank mine explosion while they were engaged in clearing landmines from a farmer's rice field in the aforementioned region."
Cambodia is recognized as one of the nations most severely impacted by landmines, with an estimated 4 million to 6 million landmines and unexploded ordnance remaining from three decades of conflict that concluded in 1998.
Research from Yale University notes that between 1965 and 1973, the US military dropped 230,516 bombs on 113,716 locations in Cambodia.
A formal report from Cambodia highlighted that from 1979 to 2024, landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) incidents resulted in 19,834 fatalities and either injured or amputated 45,252 individuals.
During a public address last November, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet remarked that although Cambodia achieved comprehensive peace in 1998, the threat of landmines continues to jeopardize human lives and hinder post-war recovery.
He emphasized that Cambodia has successfully cleared over 3,000 square kilometers of landmines, destroying more than 1 million anti-personnel mines and 3 million ERWs.
"We have declared 15 out of 25 capital cities and provinces as mine-free," Manet stated. "However, our task is far from complete, as we still face over 1,600 square kilometers of contaminated land, affecting approximately 1 million individuals."
