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Cambodia Diary
15-21 October, 2003
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My name is Kong Sros, 30 years old. I was born in Pralay Romchenh village, Bakan district, Pursat province where my current address is. In 1995 after having left school at 7th grade due to poverty, I worked as a farmer helping my parents. Life as a farmer was so hard in those days as there was not enough rain and sometimes too flooded for rice farming. My poor condition had driven me to move to Boeng Trakuon area with my uncle, near Khmer-Thai border where I then sold my labour to work for house construction for a few months.
In 1999 I was recruited to be a deminer by HALO and sent to Kdeb Thma training centre for demining course. After the course finished I was a standby deminer for a few months. Then I am promoted to be a full-time deminer. So far I have been working in 25 minefields in Samraong and Kamrieng locations, where I have found 65 mines and 15 UXOs.
I felt afraid and nervous when I first found mines. But later I start feeling normal because I have special demining tool to help, HALO technical standard operating procedures to follow with and have good experience. I like the job involved in helping people based on a saying that "Taking one item of mines from the ground will save at least one life". I am happy to work within a group of people whom we can learn from each other. I have been satisfied with my work when seeing HALO demined land used to construct schools, health centres, housing, road, irrigation canals, wells and other infrastructures.
Up to now I have some money which is saved from my salary but it is not yet enough to engage with a girl whom I am in love with and plan to marry to.
From morning until the end of demining day, the farmers' tractors/trucks are ploughing and moving with continuous loud engine sound around minefield, where my team is working. It seems very busy for agriculture in this area because the ground is very fertile that gives great yield for farmers. Hopefully, in the near future Cambodia will become a developed country, no more mine or UXOs threat and people movement will be safe. But this can happen based on the support from rich countries or donors, especially AAR/TBS who is currently funding demining programme in Cambodia.
Best wishes.
Kong Sros
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