Author(s):
Site Admin <webmaster2@icbl.org> .
Monday 03 October 2011
A regional seminar on “Addressing the Human Costs of Anti-personnel Landmines” took place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 20-21 September 2011. The meeting was organized by the Royal Government of Cambodia, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). At the meeting, Mr. Chan Neang who is a member of the Cambodian Campaign to Ban Landmines and a landmine survivor delivered the following statement:
Chan Neang, landmine survivor and member of the Cambodian Campaign to Ban Landmines
Excellency's and respected guests
Good morning. My name is Chan Neang. I’m from Osmach village in Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia. I have two brothers, and I am the youngest in the family.
I was born in Kampong Cham and my parents died when I was young. My brother and I are poor farmers and have to find food from day to day, because we don’t have enough.
Since our life was very difficult I decided to stop studying in grade 4 to help my brothers to look for money, but even with our efforts there wasn’t enough.
My two older brothers got married, and went to live in the house of their wives’ families. I went to live with my aunt and then my uncle decided to take me to live in the Oddar Meanchey province.
My uncle and I cut trees and sold them for our living, I thought this was very easy. After one month I was able to save money and send it back to my aunt, shortly after she decided to come and live with us. Together we had a better lifestyle than before.
One day, my brother and his wife came to visit me. Because our house was very small, my brother and I decided to go and cut some trees to make a place for them. We went to a part of the forest that I don’t normally go to. There we found the trees we needed and we cut them very quickly.
We prepared to leave but then we saw another tree. After the tree fell I went close to it. BOOM I stepped on an landmine and it was all over.
But I did not die.
My brother, whose eye was also hit, shouted for help. There were some people nearby and they came and tied my arms and legs to stop the bleeding.
The place was near the Thai border and there was an ambulance nearby so I was brought across the border to Kap Cheurng Hospital. The doctor from Surin had to cut off both my legs and my left arm. This was 6 August 2005.
I was left without hope, I did not want to see the people in my village again, not even my old friends. 19 days after the accident I met Mr. Nura a staff member of the Cambodian Red Cross, who checks on the situation of people affected by landmines. He encouraged me, and then introduced me to Mrs Sokeng of Jesuit Refugee Service in Banteay Meanchey. With her help I received a wheelchair.
Then they helped me to go to Arrupe Center in Battambang, When I arrived at Arrupe I began to grow a strong spirit again, I felt encouraged because I met many people. Some were blind some had polio many were landmine victims. I felt encouraged simply by living with them. They were all studying. I began to study too and we went out to school together.
I was very excited, I forgot about my disabilities
Now I am studying in grade 10 and I am happy.
I was very lucky to go to Colombia to attend the Cartagena Summit on a Mine Free World with the Youth Forum and to be there when they made the Cartagena action plan.
I have a message that I would like to share.
Dear all countries:
Please think of what happened to me. I was poor. I needed wood for a house and food to eat. I stepped on a landmine and now I have no legs and only one arm.
But I have my brains, my heart and my voice to ask you all to join the Mine Ban Treaty.
I hope your meeting is successful and we see new States Parties in Phnom Penh in November.
Thank you.
