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Cambodia Diary
12-18 February , 2004
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Hello! My name is Choub SengLy. I was born in 1960 in Koa Sang Thmey village, Kuy Meng commune, Mong Kol Borei district, Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia. I am the eldest of 2 children in my family. I am married and have four daughters and a son.
Though Pol Pot regime was over in 1979, my family still lived in poverty. Therefore, in 1983 to help reduce my parents’ burden, I dropped school and worked in rice field. Lives as farmers required us to spend nearly 12 hour a day to cultivate land. Since the yielding was not so good we could only have a hand- to- mouth living. Besides farming I had to sell labor to earn more income to support my family. In 1997, I heard of one organization seeking for employees to clear mines. It was then that I started working for the HALO Trust. I did not feel afraid since the beginning even though the job was involved in mines. After I passed the interview stage and completed the course at the training center, I was sent to work at Thma Chhat minefield.
It has been seven years that I have worked with the HALO Trust. My family situation has significantly improved. I am able to send my son and my daughters to study at school. I have got enough money to buy basic needs, build a new house and afford to set up a small business for my wife to earn some more money. We are living with pleasure now, and I am very pleased to work and very thankful to The HALO Trust and all donors especially AAR/TBS who have supported us so far.
The weather is becoming rather hot since it is dry season which indicates that the Khmer new- year is coming up. This week I have been working at Kdeb Thma Road 4 minefield, a part of K5 mine belt. So everyday, I work carefully and always comply with the SOP at all time under the supervision of my section commander and my field officer. Though the weather is hot, I am happy to work under the sun light and in thick forest because clearing mine is the crucial work that I have to do to help reduce casualties and save lives of my people . In the demining world, clearing one mine means saving one life”. So far, I have found 80 anti-personnel mines (30 PMN, 35 PMN2, 15 of Type69).
I am committed to abide with all HALO rules with utmost attention to my work for the sake of myself, wife, children and Cambodian people. At the end of my diary I would like to express my thanks again to the HALO Trust and donors for having supported this mineclearance programe. I hopefully believe you ladies and gentlemen will always be happy to continue the support until all mines are removed from the whole land of Cambodia.
Best wishes,
Choub Seng Ly
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