Cambodia intensifies UXO awareness as displaced families return to border zones
CMAC deminer clears unexploded ordnance to protect civilians returning home after the conflict. CMAC
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Synopsis: The Cambodian Mine Action Centre strengthens risk education on unexploded ordnance to protect civilians returning home after the Cambodia–Thailand border clashes.
As families flee high-risk areas, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) has intensified public awareness campaigns about the dangers of unexploded ordnance (UXO), seeking to protect displaced communities in northwestern Cambodia.
The outreach follows two waves of military attacks by the Thai military on Cambodian territory, the first from July 24 to 28 and the second from December 7 to 27 last year.
During the clashes, Thai troops used heavy weapons in civilian areas, causing widespread destruction to homes, public infrastructure, health centres, schools, pagodas, and ancient temples.
The clashes left more than 30 people dead and around 100 injured, while displacing more than half a million civilians.
According to CMAC Director General Heng Ratana, CMAC teams on Wednesday provided mine and UXO risk education to displaced people in Banteay Meanchey province, informing them of the dangers posed by unexploded war remnants left behind after the fighting.
“The unexploded weapons dropped or fired into villages, homes and farmlands pose a serious risk and could explode at any time, causing injury or death,” Ratana said in a post on his social media.
According to the Ministry of Interior, as of the end of last year, a total of 29,357 families—equivalent to 110,924 people—in Banteay Meanchey province and about 2,300 families, or roughly 8,970 people, in Preah Vihear province have returned to their homes after being displaced by the conflict.
Although civilians have returned, the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) warned that the risk from UXO remains high.
On Wednesday, CMAA issued guidelines on emergency measures for UXO risk education and urged all relevant stakeholders to intensify mine risk education efforts to prevent accidental explosions and casualties.
The guidelines also urged relevant stakeholders to expand explosive ordnance risk education teams to the maximum extent possible and to prepare essential materials to support awareness-raising efforts on the dangers posed by explosive remnants of war.
-Khmer Times-
