Wednesday, 8 April 2009

Cambodia Clears, Detonates 820,000 Mines, UXOs

2009-04-08
Xinhua
Web Editor: Qin Mei

Some 820,000 mines and unexploded ordinances (UXOs) have been cleared or detonated since the kingdom initiated its demining action in 1992, national media said on Wednesday.

"Previously, we put the amount of mine areas at 43 million kilometers, and now it decreases to 427 kilometers," Chinese- language newspaper the Sinchew Daily quoted Prak Sokhon, secretary of state for the Council Ministers, as telling a press conference at the Institute for Peacekeeping Forces, Mine and ERW (Explosive Remnant of War) Clearance in the province on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 266 people died of mine and UXO accidents in 2008, over 352 in 2007, 800 in 2001 and some 2,000 in 2000, he said.

"Mine clearance aims to save people's lives and help push for development of the country," he added.

Around 30 years of war left large numbers of landmines and UXOs in Cambodia, especially at the border area with Thailand.

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