Land mines are designed to maim rather than kill, yet more than a quarter of Cambodians injured by these explosives succumb to shock and blood loss before reaching medical facilities. Those who survive face devastating consequences; over 40,000 Cambodians have lost limbs due to land-mine injuries. The financial burden of treatment often forces families to sell their limited possessions, plunging them into extreme poverty from which recovery is challenging.

For young female victims, the societal stigma surrounding disability can be overwhelming. Many struggle to find a husband, leaving them reliant on their families, where they may be treated as dependents or even face exploitation. Fortunately, some amputees can access prosthetic workshops after their injuries have healed. However, while training programs for skills and crafts exist, there are no guarantees of employment afterward. Without the means to establish their own businesses, many landmine victims find their situations largely unchanged.

In Cambodia, both international and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are dedicated to the arduous task of mine clearance. Trained Cambodian crews, often consisting of widows of land-mine victims, actively educate rural communities in heavily contaminated regions about the dangers posed by mines. The risks can be deceptive; during the rainy season, mines buried too deeply may rise to the surface as flooding occurs, turning previously “safe” areas into hazardous zones.

The process of mine clearance is notoriously slow and costly. Currently, no mechanical system exists that can reliably declare land cleared of mines. Once a minefield is identified, it is cordoned off and divided into lanes. Trained personnel lie prone on the ground to systematically probe every inch for buried explosives, utilizing thin blades. Detected mines are carefully unearthed and destroyed, typically through controlled detonation on-site. With estimates suggesting that as many as six million land mines remain to be cleared, the magnitude of this issue is staggering.

Despite the significant challenges, ongoing efforts by NGOs and local communities are crucial in addressing the legacy of land mines in Cambodia. Their work not only helps to remove physical dangers but also strives to restore hope and opportunity for the countless individuals affected by these remnants of conflict.