While driving along one of the roads in Cambodia I kept seeing bright red signs posted in various locations. After a closer look I saw that these signs are indicating that there are live land mines still in the area. There are an estimated 6 million active land mines around Cambodia (left primarily by the Khmer Rouge upon their retreat into northern Cambodia in the late 70s).
Since that time more than 40 000 Cambodian people have suffered injuries as the result of these land mines. That is an average of nearly 40 victims a week (and they are still happening today!). What is even more troubling is that it is often the poorest of the poor (eg. farmers) that get seriously injured or killed. The families of the land mine victim live at poverty levels almost three times lower than those with disabilities due to other causes.
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| Land mine victim in Siem Reap, Cambodia |
