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Cambodia Diary
22-28 October, 2003
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My name is Bun Kheam, 38 years old. I was born in Siliem village, Kok Mon commune, Banteay Ampil district, Otdar Meanchey province. Now I am settling in Kabin village in Phnom Proek at Khmer-Thai border. There are 6 members in my family. Since our parents disappeared in Pol Pot regime, we become orphans with low education; but I am lucky enough to understand well.
I was a government soldier from 1979 to 1997 and earned a small amount of money to support my family. Because I was in mobile troops, I had to move from one province to another fighting for territory in accordance with government policy. I still well remember that one day my team and I were ambushed in mined area, where I then jumped into water to survive and hided myself in the forests.
In May 2001, I was recruited to be a deminer working in Samraong location and then moved to Kamrieng location, where I am now working in Ta Saen Village 1 minefield. So far I have been working in 15 minefields and have found 103 mines and 50 UXOs. Everyday after finishing demining I am transported back to the remote accommodation, where I relax for about 20 minutes and take a bath. In the evening, some of my colleagues tell jokes which make everyone laugh. Well, jokes sometimes free me from thinking much about home and family. Apart from this, we cook meal on our own. Being deminers life is in difficulty because we all have to work under the sun, and my skin now become dark; however, my job is crucial for mine victim reduction as well as financial support for my family. Therefore, I have to endure with the work of moving mines from the ground so that other agencies will be able to implement their development projects for the sake of my fellow Cambodians.
Normally, the HALO Cambodia demining cycle lasts for 24 days per month, and the last week of the month is a standing down period when staff can go home. However, this cycle is a bit longer (from the 1st to 31st October 2003) due to the up- coming Cambodian Water Festival Days. Therefore, local staff will have 10 days off at the end of this month and a shorter working duration in November cycle.
On the up-coming Water Festival days, I am planning to take my family to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat temple because I have never been there except seeing it on advertising poster or photograph. It will be a long standing- down period, so I will have enough time to travel and do some work at home, for example gardening.
I am very proud with work especially during the visit of my Desk Officer, Programme Manager, Deputy Programme Manager and other local management since many mines were found and destroyed in the minefield that I am working. And, I hopefully believe that with the real mine situation in this area, more funding from The Zero Landmine Campaign is gained to reduce the debris of war from this minefield as well as other places, where HALO has already surveyed for the near- future- tasks.
Finally, I raise both hands to plead with the new government to STOP FIGHTING! STOP USING MINES! But LOVE PEOPLE AND DEVELOPMENT!
Best wishes.
Bun Kheam
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