Phnom Penh (FN), Oct. 19 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said that Cambodia still has 1,700 square kilometres of land contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance, affecting around 1 million citizens living in suspected areas.

The premier spoke on Saturday (Oct. 19) during his meeting with 4,742 Cambodian Red Cross Youth volunteers at Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel.

"In nearly 30 years, we have cleared more than 3,000 square kilometres of land. We now have 1,700 square kilometres remaining to be cleared, with approximately 1 million citizens living in mine-affected areas. […] To put this into perspective, the remaining contaminated land is roughly two and a half times the size of Singapore," the premier underscored.

At this point, the prime minister called on people to continue supporting demining efforts and maintaining peace, rather than escalating military presence that could lead to national disintegration. Samdech Thipadei stressed the importance of ensuring that citizens understand the value of peace and the destruction caused by war, calling on everyone to unite in preserving the current peace so that all people can enjoy the freedom to live and reunite with their families.

Samdech Thipadei added that peace is essential for human survival. He highlighted that peace is a driving force for development, while war, though quick to ignite, is far more difficult to end. The importance of peace must be repeated continually, as war spares neither the young nor the old.

Additionally, Premier Hun Manet reminded the youth of the Cambodian Red Cross to always be aware of and remember the nation’s history, which is closely tied to the history of the Cambodian Red Cross. He urged them to honour their ancestors, who sacrificed their lives for the peace and development that Cambodians now enjoy.

It should be noted that large-scale humanitarian demining operations officially began in Cambodia in 1992, marking the start of a comprehensive mine action program. Over the past 30 years, Cambodia has located and destroyed millions of landmines and explosive remnants of war, transforming these once-dangerous "landmine zones" into "golden lands."
=FRESH NEWS