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Cambodia Diary
04-11 January , 2004
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Hello! My name is Cheut Phoeung. I was born in 1955 in Onhor village, Phnum Toch commune, Monkol Borei district, Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia. I'm the oldest son in my family with 3 younger brothers and 2 younger sisters. Nowadays I am married and have 6 children (2 of them are female and the rest are male). They are both lovely and clever. My wife and I were married in 1978 in Pol Pot regime. Our marriage life started from our empty hands, which requires us to work hard to raise children.
Before working for the HALO Trust, I had taught children at Russey Krouk primary school, where I earned 50000 Riels (US $ 13) a month. To support such a big family, apart from teaching my wife, my elder sons and I did farming or sold labor to some kind of work to earn extra money for just enough for daily expense. But one day which I have never forgotten, my fortune did arrive on May 21, 1997 when I was recruited to be a deminer. Up to now, it has been 7 years that I have worked for the HALO Trust, and within this period that my family living- standard has been improved.
Everyday I work in minefield for 5 hours and a half starting from 7 a.m to 3 p.m. with inter- break, so I have to get up around 5- 6 a.m to take a bath, to cook , and keep the accommodation clean under the field officer's order. After a parade in the morning, we receive some instruction from the field officer, and then get on truck with demining tools and metal detectors heading to minefields. In the minefield I work 30 minutes and rest 10 minutes. We know time to rest and time to work by the whistle sound the section commander made. All deminers have to comply with SOP at all times in minefields. So far, I have found about 60 mines.
Besides my own family, I have made many friends with my workmates who have shared forest with me. We work, eat and stay together. Generally speaking, the time that we stay together is longer than with our own families. We work around 21 to 24 days a month and have 7 day- off. During these days, I miss my wife and children so much. Not much time to wait for, the days I long for home- going are coming: the standing- down period, so before I go home I have to clean visor, body armor, and return tools in store for the next month. My family must be very happy to see me. During my home- going, I usually plant vegetables and some eating- fruit trees, chat with family and listen to radio. Being with family, it adds more meaning to my work as a deminer since it makes me realize that demining doesn't only help improve my family finance, but also bring more hope to the villagers living closed and on mined area, especially making Cambodia become a better and safer place to live in.
In the end, I would like to thank very much to The HALO Trust and donors who have supported demining programme especially AAR/TBS, and hopefully believe that you will continue the support to The HALO Trust and my country.
All the best,
Chheut Phoeung
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