Cambodia likely to fulfill mine removal target before 2020

December 1, 2008 in Uncategorized
Tags: 2020, Add new tag, before, Cambodia, fulfill, likely, mine, removal, target

Phnom Penh (VNA) – Cambodia is able to fulfill clearing mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) left by the war nationwide before 2020, Director General of Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) Kem Sophoan said at a recent meeting to review mine clearance 2008.

The centre each year cleared 26-27 million sq.m. of land for cultivation between 2005 and 2008 as compared to about 10-11 million sq.m. of land during the 1994-2004 period. CMAC basically cleared mines and UXOs in delta and northeastern mountainous provinces.

The centre now focuses mine-clearance in high-risk areas like Battambang, Pailin and the 780km-long western area bordering with Thailand from Koh Kong to Preah Vihear provinces.

According to Director General Kem Sophoan, the centre’s mine clearance activities are based on the three main resources of man, machine and mine-clearing dog, with the man as the main force. CMAC now has 24 mine-detecting machines supplied by Japan and 80 mine-clearing dogs presented by Germany and Sweden.

Since 1994, CMAC has detected and removed more than 3.4 million anti-personnel mines, 7,500 ant-tank mines and nearly 1.4 million UXOs, thus clearing more than 400 sq.km of land for cultivation and economic development.-