Malaysia Business Chamber of Cambodia (MBCC), in partnership with Khmer Times and Wing Bank, has launched a ‘4,000-riel campaign’ to enable community participation in achieving the target of becoming a mine-free nation by 2025.
KM Tan, President of MBCC, said yesterday, “MBCC together with Khmer Times, are partnering with Wing Bank to conduct another fundraising campaign to raise more funds to enable the Kingdom to achieve its goal of becoming free of land mines by 2025.”
Tan added that he proposed the idea during a visit with Cambodia Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) to the minefields in Ang Douch Tey village, Srong commune, Kong Pisei district, Kampong Speu province.
He noted that through this ‘4,000-riel campaign’, everyone can make a small contribution to support the country’s demining efforts, as every riel and dollar counts to ridding every square metre of Cambodian land of land mines.
He pointed out that MBCC’s members were following the footsteps of Khmer Times, which took an initiative to sponsor the demining efforts in Veal village of Kong Pisei district, and now it is free of mines.
He said that according to the CMAA, for the past 30 years, nearly 20,000 people were killed by landmines, and nearly 40,000 people were injured in which over 9,000 were amputated.
“It is estimated that more than 2,200 square kilometres of land are contaminated by landmines or other remnants of war and a demining is required in order to prevent causing further damages to the people, community, economy and society,” he added.
He added, “We mooted the idea of organising a fund-raising gala dinner with Lt Gen Hun Manet, it was hugely successful with an amazing turnout of 500 MBCC members and other charitable people and we raised more than $67,700.”
Tan added that Lt Gen Hun Manet also decided to make a personal cash contribution of $10,000 to MBCC event, to top up earlier amount to $77,700.
“We are not stopping with the gala dinner. We will organise a site visit by our sponsors. If possible, we will clear mines and hand back commune and villages to the people,” he said.
He added MBBC and the partners are also mulling a foundation for deminers and landmines victims.
“I really support ‘4000-riel campaign and many initiatives to come,” he added.
Chav Vy, 65-year-old who resides in the village said that she really supports the MBCC initiative, since small contribution can lead to big changes and completely change their lives.
"Although I do not have enough money, I will support the campaign with 4,000 riels because so many people had died because of mines,” she said.
Kong Charath, 67, said that in order to clear mines, she will contribute despite being poor.
“I am sure that some small acts can bring a sea of change. I want to see my dream of seeing my village becoming free of mines comes true. And I know that everybody has the same dream as mine,” she said.
General Sem Sovanny, Senior Minister and Second Vice-president of CMAA, said that there are a lot of mines to be cleared in the country, and he is appreciating the initiative of the MBCC president and his partners.
“All people in the nation are getting the opportunity to help government to clear the mines, and every riel matters in the joint effort to clear landmines,” he said.
He added that many ideas were initiated by MBCC and its partners to achieve the government’s mission of mine-free country in 2025.