Kandal has achieved the mine-free status thanks to the Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen's Project for Mine Action (STP-MA) under 'Providing Safe Ground, Creating smile' motto. The declaration of Kandal as a mine-free province took place at the provincial hall yesterday under the presidency of H.E. Aun Pornmoniroth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance. Kandal is the 10th mine-free province in Cambodia under the STP-MA, said H.E. Ly Thuch, Senior Minister and First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA). The other nine include Stung Treng, Kep, Prey Veng, Preah Sihanouk, Thbong Khmum, Kampong Cham, Svay Rieng and Kampong Chhnang provinces, and Phnom Penh capital. A total of 2,873 anti-personnel landmines, 49 anti-tank mines and 94,289 UXO on an area of almost 10 square kilometres have been destroyed by the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), he pointed out. Anyway, Kandal still has about 16 square kilometres of land area suspected of contamination with cluster bombs and UXO, the senior minister underlined, calling on people to remain vigilant of possible risks posed by this war legacy.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse