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Two landmine accidents occured within days of each other in Southeast Asia injuring eleven people, four seriously, the youngest of which being four years old.
Sar Thay, Governor of Oddar Meanchay Province in Northwestern Cambodia reported that seven people were injured in his province on Wednesday morning while they were headed to work in a rice paddy near their homes.
"Two persons were seriously injured and the other five slightly wounded," he said adding that all had been admitted to an area hospital.
Four days earlier on November 16th in Myanmar’s Shan state four women were harvesting herbs on a hillside near their village when one of them stepped on a mine. The resulting blast claimed her lower leg and caused serious abdominal injuries. Three others in the group were also injured, including a four-year-old girl.
“Sadly such incidents will become more common throughout many regions in Myanmar where the use of landmines was common practice during the many years of conflict,” said Lou McGrath, Senior Advisor on Mine Action Projects for Clear Path International (CPI) and co-Founder of Mines Advisory Group. McGrath is currently in Myanmar establishing victim assistance programs with Clear Path International.
“My experience in so many other countries tells me that, unfortunately the accident rate rises as the peace process proceeds and people return to their homes.” He continued, “many will be unaware of the dangers they face from areas contaminated by landmines. It is not only crucial that every effort is made to begin clearance as soon as possible, but that Mine Risk Education projects and assistance programs for survivors of landmine accidents are able to begin now. As peace becomes a reality in Myanmar, its people, its government and the international community need to protect those at risk from becoming the victims of tomorrow.”
Clear Path International, founded in 2000, works with civilian victims of conflict in Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and every region in Afghanistan. You can learn more about Clear Path at www.cpi.org.
