INTRODUCTION
The presence of land mines still results in poverty, displacement and suffering in the areas where many NGOs work. We still witness families living or gardening in unmarked minefields, particularly in the areas newly opened to government administration. The acid test of mine action in Cambodia is its credibility in the eyes of the mine victims and communities who have suffered from the effects of mines.
An additional 1012 people fell victims to land mines or unexploded ordnance in 1999, a reduction from the 1700 affected in 1998.
The Royal Government of Cambodia ratified the Mine Ban Treaty on 28 July 1999, after passing national land mine legislation in May 1999. The law provides for a structure within the national Mine Action Centre which regulates and monitors aspects of mine action, namely destruction of stockpiles, use of mines, mine clearance activities, and mine incidents on land claimed to be demined. This regulatory authority, still in formation stage, will also provide data for the Royal Government's reporting requirements to the United Nations. The Cambodian Campaign to Ban landmines calls for donor support for these functions.
KEY ISSUES
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Landlessness
The de-mining process does not end with the removal of mines from the ground, but only when the land is returned to the displaced and landless. From the perspective of village communities, there is still confusion as to who has the authority to allocate land.
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Lack of clear Land Law
The Land Law is not clear, especially in relation to issuing land title for de-mined land. Formal land title often does not exist. The usual method of claiming land through occupancy is not possible if the land has been unoccupied due to the presence of mines. There is no consistency in the process of registration and respect for ownership for land. As a result, some people are living in mine fields in order to protect their land claim. In other places, powerful figures have captured land which the poor have tilled and in some cases demined by themselves.
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Reform of Cambodian Mine Action Center
The Cambodian Mine Action Center itself is in the process of reforming its management and financial sections. Reportedly the operational center for mine clearance activities will be relocated in Battambang. Efficient management, and financial account- ability for all funds is a necessary priority. However prior to the announcement of the these reforms much donor funding was temporarily suspended, This resulted in low staff morale within CMAC as deminers and staff worried about the financial security of their families and their future.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In order to address the key issues, NGOs recommend that the Royal Government of Cambodia and donor community:
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Fund mine clearance and victim assistance
We call upon the donor community to maintain its support for the vital
components of mine action programs: de-mining, victim assistance, and mine incident data gathering. The NGO community sees mine clearance as essential to development, poverty alleviation and security. To cut mine clearance activities would be a tragedy for the future of Cambodia.
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Address the issue of land titling
Address the issue of land titling and protect the needs of the poor for land over the wants of the powerful and rich. This is crucial to peaceful development in the mine affected areas. The newly established Land Use Planning Unit in Battambang may be a first step in this.
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Raise public awareness
In mine affected areas there is still a need for mine awareness linked to community mine marking and emergency ordnance disposal.
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Improve coordination
International agencies, government ministries and NGOs need to collaborate in directing services to rural communities affected by mines, so that these areas may have water, roads, schools, health centres rehabilitation services and income
generating possibilities.
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