Appeal on behalf of the people in Cambodia.
MAG Clears Mines. Saves Lives. Builds Futures.

Producer's notes

 

MAG Clears mines. Sam Sokarn unearths a Type 72 anti-personnel mine 30 metres from where chidren attend a mine awareness lecture in Rovieng village. ©Sean Sutton/MAG 28/02/02

Over the last ten days we have travelled wide and far, living with and talking to the ordinary men, women and children whose lives are still affected by past conflicts We have also spent much time with communities whose lives have been fundamentally changed and improved by MAG's work. The warmth and friendliness of the people has been overwhelming, which we hope has come across in the daily stories and photographs we have been able to gather and send for posting on the web.

According to the National level 1 survey conducted by GeoSpatiol, 49% of villages in Cambodia still have a problem. In the areas we have travelled in we believe we can say for sure that there is no village we have come across that has not had their lives affected by mines and UXO.

 

49% of villages in Cambodia still have a problem. National Level 1 survey by GeoSpatiol

The one consistent appeal we have heard from all the individuals we have interviewed has been one of concern for the children of Cambodia and their future in this contaminated land. Being parents of young children ourselves, this has not been hard to understand. People have told us that they are conscious of their limited ability at present to solve many of the problems they are faced with unless they continue to receive the international support required to carry out the clearance of mines and UXO. Agencies who are working in the region also express the desperate need - they cannot do their work to improve people's lives - drilling wells, setting up health clinics and building schools - until the mines are cleared. The majority of people in Cambodia live off the land and many are risking their lives day in day out.

 

MAG Saves Lives. The children are shown a poster with types of UXO that litter the surrounding contryside. The dangers of these leathal legacies of war and what to do if they find any, are explained. ©Sean Sutton/MAG 28/02/02

We hope you have found this project interesting and informative. The aim was to show just how things really are; the degree of the problem and the dedicated efforts of our Cambodian staff to solve the problem. The task is not insurmountable and the work is extremely cost effective. All that is needed is a longer-term commitment to improve people's lives and give them a chance of a better future.

Parts of this programme are now under threat. 7 out of 22 highly skilled mine action teams in Cambodia with their 105 dedicated staff are currently at risk of losing their jobs and their livelihoods. We appeal to those who have followed our experiences to assist us to sustain the programme here in Cambodia. It is only a matter of time before another adult looses its child or another child looses its parent. We can prevent this happening, but to do it we need your support. Please give what you can.

 

MAG Builds Futures. Playing on a former minefield: Thanks to the work of MAT 1 last year, the 558 students that attend Ta Lou school are now safe here, but the headmaster says they live in constant danger at home. He said 20 students have been injured whilst herding cattle in and around the village. ©Sean Sutton/MAG 02/03/02

We would like to thank all those who assisted us during our stay here and those International and National organisations working in Cambodia providing help and support to alleviate poverty in this beautiful country.

Thank you for watching, Sean Sutton and Lou McGrath 03/03/02