Land Mines

One of the most sobering things I saw my first full day in Siem Reap was a sign. I nearly missed it as our guide was just getting started on his spiel. This sign was accompanied by a “Do Not Enter” message. What I had heard discussed, watched Lady Di speak about and also read about became startling real. Here was a place that still had unexploded land mines. As I was to discover later that night the very human toll taken by these weapons is still confrontingly evident.

There are still somewhere between 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 unexploded land mines and other pieces of ordinance scattered about Cambodia, mainly near the borders and most of them were laid by the Khmer Rouge. It was done to protect their borders, not only from outsiders getting in but citizens getting out. There are still farmers being maimed by these weapons as they till their soil, kids are losing eyes and limbs as they play in water courses. Walk down any busy street and there will be men of a certain age either on crutches or with an artificial leg, many of them begging, those still with their dignity left will be plying their wares in attempt to make ends meet. It drives home the evil of these weapons. It also illustrates perfectly the price paid by the innocent when the United States and the imperial powers were playing chess using the nations of South East Asian as the pieces in their game of stop the communist.

We balanced our day by finishing with a quick tour of two of the less visited temples and trying some of the local produce. Let’s see if you can spot the petrol station.

Tomorrow we have a driver and car to take us to Phnom Penh. It’s only a 50 minute flight and the cost is about $100 AUD per head however for $100 US they will take you door to door in an air conditioned car and hopefully see more of the countryside. Let’s hope we don’t get kidnapped.