Japan provides $16m demining equip to Cambodia

Feb 16, 2012
(Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH - The government of Japan on Thursday provided Cambodia equipment and supplies for demining operations in equivalent to $16 million, marking the sixth phase of Japanese grant to the country's demining sector over the past decade.

The donation included heavy and light demining machines, vehicles, detectors, tents, tools, equipment and other apparatus, according to a press release from Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC).

The handover ceremony was held at CMAC demining unit in Siem Reap province with the participation by Sok An, deputy prime minister and minister in charge of the Council of Ministers, and Joe Nakano, Japanese vice minister of foreign affairs, said the press release.

Heng Ratana, director general of CMAC, expressed profound thanks to Japan and her people for the momentum of supports and continued provision of resources in the forms of technical expertise, fund and equipment.

He said the grant would be very useful for CMAC's demining operations both domestically and internationally.

Cambodia is one of the world's worst countries suffered from mines as the results of nearly three decades of war and internal conflicts from the mid 1960s until the end of 1998.

The country's five most mine-laid provinces are Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin and Preah Vihear.

Since 1979 to the end of 2011, there had been a total of 64,017 landmine casualties. Of the casualties, 19,619 people were killed, 35,522 were injured and 8,876 were amputated, according to the report of the Cambodian Mine and Explosive Remnants of War Victim Information System.

It is estimated that the country needs about $30 million a year until 2020 to entirely get rid of mines.