"Cambodia: Mine-Free by 2025" Topic

The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority yesterday said Cambodia will be mine-free by 2025, noting that the country has made significant progress in reducing mine-related casualties over the past 25 years…

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Man, and just how LONG has the war in S.E Asia been over? And they are still finding them, usually in the most horrible ways, by children at play.

Several yrs ago I watched a news report (60 Min's or one such program) where (rarely) but from time to time, they would still come across one of the 'countless' land mines placed across Western Europe during the 2nd W.W.

I wonder if -anyone- has a realistic idea just How Many were ever used by even a single 'army', let alone by all.

May God watch over the people, the children first and foremost (as always in His Heart).

The Western Desert (Libya, Egypt, Tunisia) is jam-packed with landmines laid by the Italians, Germans, and British still.

Every now and then some poor farmer hits a UXB from WW1.

UXB are a deadly present from the past to the future. I doubt that Cambodia will ever be 100% mine-free, but even 99.9% would be huge. This is excellent news!

I was in Cambodia last winter, and visited the landmine museum. The sheer variety of mines, from different countries and improvised at home, was impressive in a disturbing way. There are many groups of street singers composed of landmine survivors.

On a more positive note: a dollar or two (US dollars are accepted as currency) will get you fish paste with sticky rice and Angkor beer, followed by a fresh palm sugar smoothie.

The British came up with a land mine during WWII that looks like camel dung. I believe Libya had at one time 250,000 land mine after WWII?
I read Angelina Jolie contributes to the Cambodia effort to remove mines. I like the fact she takes action and rarely talks about her causes.

The expression "pipe dream" comes to mind. Reducing mine-related casualties is one thing; getting rid of the mines is a whole different ball game.

LT

PMC317
Every now and then some poor farmer hits a UXB from WW1.

WW ONE.. sheesh. How ironic PMC, when I 1st read this article, that was the war that initially came to.. my thoughts.

skippy0001
..a land mine during WWII that looks like camel dung. ..Libya had at one time 250,000 land mine after WWII?

Sad proof that the human imagination has no limitation. For creation, or our own destruction.

..Angelina Jolie contributes to the Cambodia effort.. ..she takes action and rarely talks about her causes.

Ive come to the conclusion, the ones that really make a difference in this world, are too busy actually 'Doing' something, than too stand around talking about what 'should be done'.
God help (and protect) those that have to get out in the field and actually disarm these relic's of death.