ultrafacts:International intervention has only done so much in aiding the clean up operation. Now,
ultrafacts: International intervention has only done so much in aiding the clean up operation. Now, 40 years on from the onslaught of the Khmer Rouge, land mines are still an everyday danger for the rural citizens of Cambodia. In fact, the Cambodian Mine Victim Information Service (CMVIS) shows that the country has one of the highest casualty rates in the world; one third of the reported victims are children. Aki Ra spent most of his days chopping vegetation in fields and delicately prodding areas looking for unexploded mines. “I poke my stick in the ground till I find a mine,” he explained. “Then I dig around it, to make sure that it is not booby-trapped. Then, I unscrew the detonator. And the mine is safe.” By 1997, Aki Ra had managed to collect so many bomb casings, weapons and unexploded military supplies that he started the Cambodia Landmine Museum in Siem Reap. He has also established the Cambodia Landmine Relief Fund that supports a school and relief center for orphans and young land-mine victims. Over 100 children have passed through the institution so far – 27 of them currently study at school, while nine are at university. [x] (Fact Source) For more facts, follow Ultrafacts -- source link
#cambodia#siem reap#landmines#safety#bravery#aki ra