CMAC Commences New Project Clearing Landmines

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (12 November 2010)

Mine clearance efforts in Cambodia moved future into the northwest this month, with The Cambodia Mind Action Centre (CMAC) commencing a new project clearing landmines and Explosive Remands of War (ERW) in Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vichear provinces.

Under the Royal Government of Cambodia-Japan Counterpart Fund Assistance for Human Security Project in the area of Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA), Japan supports CMAC to implement a 12 months humanitarian demining project starting from November 2010, to clear a target of 10,536,00 m² of landmines and UXO. The project aims to ensure human security and improve livelihoods, and will clear landmines to enable the safe use of land for agriculture and other development activities.

H.E. Heng Ratana, Director General of the Cambodia Mine Action Centre (CMAC), and other senior staff from CMAC visited demining sites in Kork Morn Commune in Banteay Ampel district of Oddar Meanchey province earlier this week and opened ground for the new project. The event was also participated by Provincial Deputy Governor of Oddar Meanchey province H.E. Luan Ann and members from the provincial Mine Action Committee (PMAC).

“CMAC has adopted an innovative approach to the design and implementation of this project We are partnering with the commune councils to ensure all activities implemented are based on the demand of the local villagers,” said H.E. Heng Ratana. “Minefields to be clear are selected based on the prioritization of MAPU (Mine Action Provincial Unit) and as per the Commune Investment Plans (CIP). These are MAPU selected contaminated villages and land officially allocated to poor people for resettlement and agriculture use,” he added.

Apart from mine clearance, the project aims to provide safe villages for the people by tacking mine/UXO accident reduction among children and families in the target communities. The initiative also supports the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Development policy along the border in the northwest of Cambodia, as well as the efforts of national and international development activities in the target areas.

CMAC is deploying a variety of clearing tools including manual and mechanical demining along with community based mine risk reduction teams. CMAC’s Mine Detection Dogs will also be used throughout the project.

The implementation of this project was made possible through strong  support from the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC), which signifies the commitment of the RGC to the country’s development and the country’s ninth Millennium Development Goal addressing landmines and UXO clearance and victim assistance. It also provides important progress towards meeting the country’s obligation to the Anti-personal Mine Ban Treaty by 2019.

It is estimated that upon completion the project will have benefited around 5,500 families, with approximately 12,500 people benefiting both directly and indirectly from the project’s activities. The direct beneficiaries will have cleared land for agriculture and development infrastructure and development infrastructure such as roads, ponds and canals. The exact number of beneficiaries will be established based on the work plan approved by PMAC/MAPU CMAC is also taking this opportunity to launch its re-designed project implementation and monitoring system, which will be deployed to further strengthen the accountability and effectiveness across CMAC operations.

Whilst in the field, H.E. Heng Ratana visited CMAC deminers working in remote areas and provided them with an update of mine action policies and news from CMAC’s headquarters.

By S.L (Vol. 4, Issue 46, SEAW)