The bid to clear US cluster bomb begins

Tin Sokhavuth

A badly injured Cambodian farmer whose tractor was destroyed by an UXO while he was ploughing his field. Photo: CMAC

The US Embassy in Cambodia, on Wednesday, announced that the bid for a $2 million grant to survey and clear the US unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the Eastern Cambodia for the year 2018-2019 began and would end in January 16 next year, with the possibility that the funding could be extended for one more year.

"Eligible partners would use state-of-the art methodology to clear land of unexploded ordnance in Eastern Cambodia so it can be made safe for farming, roads, commerce, and housing," read a press release issued by the embassy on Wednesday.

According to Ambassador William Heidt, the US Government has supported landmine clearance in Cambodia for more than 20 years in view to take full responsibility regarding the US explosive remnants of war left from the Vietnam War.

"We are looking for the best national and international experts to help remove unexploded ordnance in the east of Cambodia," said Ambassador Heidt.

Concerning this issue, the embassy said that the US Government has spent more than $131 million to locate and remove not only UXO made in USA in the eastern part of the country, "but also the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Soviet landmines in the rest of the country that account for about 90 percent of casualties caused by war remnants."

Besides the US, the People's Republic of China, through the Embassy of China in Phnom Penh, on Monday, donated 1,200 wheelchairs, 40 motorbikes, and a number of other demining equipments to the Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA).

During the handover ceremony, Mr. Serey Kosal, CMAA's vice president, told reporters that with China's funding of about $400 million, all landmines in Cambodia would be cleared even before the deadline in 2025.

On the other hand, in response to a request made by the Kingdom of Cambodia, the UN, through its Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), has agreed to send chemical experts to help Cambodia remove US chemical bombs found in Cambodia's territory.

General Chey Son, Secretary General of the OPCW National Authority, told Fresh News on Tuesday that the UN would soon send experts in chemical weapon to work with Cambodian counterpart to examine the found US chemical bombs in Svay Rieng province.

Gen. Chey Son added that at most, in two weeks, his OPCW National Authority would cooperate with the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) to remove the US Chemical bombs.