Summary
Cambodia’s landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) problem is too large and complex for the country to manage alone. International support and assistance will be required for many years. Experts estimate that Cambodia will need another 10 to 20 years to get the job done if the current level of funding is maintained.
Mine action practitioners working in Cambodia have been struggling for many years to raise enough funding to support and maintain the current capacity. In addition to the funding issue, accessibility during the wet season, terrain, vegetation and ground conditions are also posing difficulties for demining operations.
Recent developments in the mine action sector include the introduction of the Baseline Survey (BLS), the development of a land release policy, the development of a national mine action strategy, and the review of the entire planning and prioritization process.
Mine action in Cambodia has had great humanitarian and development impacts. Rural, provincial, and national reconstruction and development priorities would not be achievable without the support of mine clearance interventions. The number of casualties from 2000 to 2005 was about 850 per year, with a dramatic decline in 2006 to about 450. The figure dropped to about 350 in 2007 and about 270 in 2008. These statistics confirm that mine action in Cambodia has been effective.
Each year, UN entities, nongovernmental organizations, national and local authorities and donors collaborate to assemble a national portfolio of mine action project proposals that together reflect the strategic response developed in the field to all aspects of the problem of landmines and explosive remnants of war. A Country Portfolio Coordinator, usually a representative of a UN agency or a national authority, coordinates meetings where all mine action actors agree on a set of projects and priorities and determine funding needs. The proposals in each country's portfolio are assembled with those of other participating countries and published jointly by the UN Mine Action Service, the UN Development Programme and UNICEF in an annual "Portfolio of Mine Action Projects." This publication serves as a tool for collaborative resource mobilization, coordination and planning of mine action activities. The Cambodia Country Portfolio Team's funding appeal for mine action projects in 2007 totals US $22,887,476.
Scope of the Problem
Cambodia’s landmine and ERW problem is the consequence of protracted internal and regional conflicts that affected the country from the late 1960s until the end of 1998. The nature of landmine and ERW contamination in Cambodia is highly complex. The north-west regions bordering Thailand are heavily affected, while other parts of the country face moderate to low impacts. An estimated 4 million to 6 million landmines were laid during the conflicts. The country is also heavily affected by ERW due to aerial bombing and ground battles.
Landmines and ERW have caused unacceptable casualties to military personnel and the civilian population. From 1979 to 1999, the average number of mine and ERW casualties was over 2,700 per year. Since then, there has been a progressive reduction in casualties to about 270 in 2008. Nonetheless, landmines and ERW continue to pose major obstacles to human security, and national reconstruction and development, especially in the north-west rural areas where poor people are resettling and looking for economic opportunities.
Humanitarian landmine clearance started in 1992 without information on the level of contamination. The 18-month National Level One Survey project results released in April 2002 showed that 4,544 square kilometres of rural land were contaminated with mines and ERW, affecting 6,422 villages, or 46 percent of the total. Landmines have had a hugely negative humanitarian, social and economic impact on Cambodia.
Understanding that the 2002 survey results no longer represent the real situation of the country’s landmine problem, the mine action sector agreed to undertake the BLS to record all remaining suspected and mined areas in the country. It began in August 2009 by targeting the most affected districts, and will gradually expand to other districts. This is the practical way of taking stock of the current landmine problem, and it will lead to better targeting of mine action resources to the most affected areas in order to reduce casualties, and support community reconstruction and development priorities.
Coordination and Consultation
The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) is committed to addressing landmine and ERW problems, as it sees that mine action is a prerequisite for reconstruction and development. Mine action is part of the National Strategic Development Plan and Millennium Development Goals in Cambodia.
The Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA) was established in late 2000 with the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister as President and Vice-President. The CMAA Secretary General is responsible for management of day-to-day activities related to mine action.
The CMAA regulates and coordinates all mine action activities, and establishes policies and procedures. It is also responsible for the implementation of national mine action strategic plans to achieve the goals and priorities identified in the RGC's development policies.
The Mine Action Technical Working Group is a high-level mechanism established by the RGC in late 2004. It is mandated to discuss policy issues and strategic directions for mine action. It is led by high-level government officials with active participation of mine action development partners and representatives of mine action stakeholders.
At the provincial level, the RGC has established provincial mine action committees (PMACs). They ensure that mine action within the province is integrated into and consistent with national, provincial and communal priorities, and that the process is transparent and participatory.
Provincial mine action planning units (MAPUs) have been established by the governors of mine-affected provinces to provide technical support to the PMACs. The MAPUs are staffed by representatives from relevant provincial departments. Their main responsibilities include facilitating a transparent and participatory mine clearance planning process in consultation with demining operators and development agencies working in the province, assisting affected communities in prioritizing clearance tasks, preparing annual clearance work plans for PMAC approval, monitoring implementation of the work plans, monitoring post-clearance land use, and performing other tasks as directed by the PMACs.
Strategy
One of the objectives of mine action in Cambodia is building the capacity of the CMAA to fully take charge of mine action planning, coordination and management. Efforts are geared towards undertaking these responsibilities without outside assistance.
There are four demining organizations working in Cambodia - The Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), The HALO Trust, and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG). The RCAF demining forces provide clearance for military purposes; they also clear roads and development projects that are government priorities. The other three operators, CMAC, The HALO Trust and MAG, are working in the most mine-affected areas, as agreed by the CMAA. Their annual clearance plans are based on community priority tasks identified by community members through the facilitation of the MAPUs.
The RCAF expressed interest in applying for accreditation and license of their demining teams for demining experience in peacekeeping missions abroad. The CMAA is committed to assisting the RCAF in obtaining accreditation and licensing. It is expected that some of the RCAF demining teams will be accredited and licensed by the end of 2009.
Quantifying the remaining landmine challenge in Cambodia depends on available data. Key players in the mine action sector agreed in late 2008 that the BLS should be conducted to take accurate stock of the remaining problem and allow better targeting of mine action resources. The BLS will be conducted in three phases. Phase 1 is to target the 21 most affected districts by the end of 2010, Phase 2 is to target the next 41 most affected districts by the end of 2011, and Phase 3 is to target the remaining 60 districts by the end of 2012. The 2002 survey results showed that 122 districts were contaminated with landmines. Data generated by the BLS will supersede the previous survey.
A target for mine clearance in Cambodia in the next three to four years will be the 21 most affected districts. They have accounted for more than 90 percent of mine casualties in the past five years. The CMAA seeks to ensure that at least 80 percent of clearance assets concentrate in these districts.
A land release policy has been identified as a priority for the mine action sector. This will complement and follow the work of the BLS. It will allow the release of suspected hazardous land where investigation confirms it can return to productive use. If implemented correctly, the policy will maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of mine clearance operations. Land release standards are under development, based on the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS). They also take local conditions into account. The standards will be issued by end of 2009.
The CMAA is preparing a national mine action strategy that should be finalized by the end of 2009. Inputs from sector stakeholders have been taken into consideration. The strategy covers various aspects of mine action and provides framework directions for the sector towards increased effectiveness and efficiency, and in line with government policies and plans.
Mine clearance planning in Cambodia is a bottom-up process where people in affected villages prioritize and propose clearance tasks for their villages each year. The tasks are then prioritized at district workshops to ensure that clearance addresses community needs and cleared lands are put back to productive use. The process is facilitated and coordinated by the MAPUs. At village meetings to identify priority tasks, a proportionate number of women and men participate; this is to ensure that mine clearance planning is addressing the needs of both women and men.
With the introduction of the BLS, land release policy and and land release standards, the CMAA plans to review entirely the current mine clearance planning and prioritization process being facilitated and coordinated by the MAPUs. The purpose is to see what works well, and what needs modifications and improvement. The review has been started in late 2009 and will be completed by the end of the year.
Date Anti-Personnel Mine-Ban Treaty signed: Dec 03, 1997
Date of Anti-Personnel Mine-Ban Treaty ratification or accession: Jul 28, 1999
Consents to be bound by Protocol II of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: Mar 25, 1997
Consents to be bound by Amended Protocol II of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: Mar 25, 1997
Date signed Protocol V of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: N/A