02/02/2024 Cambogia (Cambodia)
“If you ever come across anything suspicious like this item, please do not pick it up, contact your local law and/or enforcement agency for assistance”.
Heng Ratana, director-general of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), on Sunday welcomed everyone to a public forum on the theme, “Operations to Clear Unexploded Ordnance and Salvage Sunken Boats”. Ratana said that it is critical to remove the remnants of debris from past battles, carry out marine demining, and seek out and remove submerged ships in order to improve the quality of waterways, national security and the safety of riverside residents. Ratana added, “If the rivers and streams were free of unexploded ordnance and safe, our country would see large international cruise ships bringing tourists to Cambodia by river, and also more river freight transport.” Chea Sokunthea, secretary of state at the Ministry of Interior and the deputy chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group, also joined the meeting with about 250 river-dwelling people from Prey Veng and Kandal provinces. Mong Sokunthearoth, Director of the Central Department in charge of the Mine Clearance Unit for Development and the Underwater Operations Special Unit, delivered a brief report on current operations to clear submerged unexploded ordnance and explained the general problems that face shipping, include flooding, debris and UXOs. He noted that based on research and technical investigation, Cambodia was bombarded 384 times by heavy aerial bombs of type KM-84, each weighing 925kg, and KM-83, weighing 450kg, and KM-82, weighing 230kg. He added that some of these large bombs remain stuck at the bottom of waterways across Cambodia. Tens of thousands of people lived on Cambodian rivers from 1969 to 1973. Also, during the 1970-1975 civil war, several warships were sunk in the Mekong River.
Photo-Source: khmertimeskh.com
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