LANDMINE MONITOR REPORT 2004 GLOBAL LAUNCH

Posted: 18th November 2004

Sr. Denise Coghlan, director of J.S.C. receiving a recognition from His Majesty the King N. Sihamoni

Phnom Penh(C.S.C)---At the Jesuit’s Training Center for the Disabled People Banteay Preab (CENTRE OF THE DOVE), 30 Km south of Phnom Penh, on Wednesday November 17 took place the LANDMINE MONITOR REPORT 2004 GLOBAL LAUNCH, honored by the presence of His Majesty king NORODOM SIHAMONI, the new King of Cambodia.

LAND MINE MONITOR is a civil-society based initiative of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) that received the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE in 1997. LAND MINE MONITOR collects information and assesses progress and problems in the international community’s responds to the global landmine crisis, especially with regard to implementations of the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.

The new King of Cambodia expressed with emotion “I am very impressed by the activities of the JESUIT SERVICE – CAMBODIA… In behalf of the Cambodian people and personally, I would like to sincerely pay tribute to the excellent activities of this organization”.

The King visits Landmines show in Banteay Breap

Then the King described the efforts made by the Cambodian government and different NGOs in the country to eradicate this huge problem the country is still facing. “Cambodia has suffered from decades of war and strife that have left behind a countless number of landmines spread throughout the mountains, forest and rice filed of our people. For many years the Cambodian people have faced and will continue to face problems with landmines. Many Cambodian people have become victims of landmine accidents; some of them have lost their lives while others have become disabled for life, losing the ability and means for their livelihoods”, King Sihamoni stated.

The Jesuit Service – Cambodia has been serving the Cambodian people since the time of the arrival of thousands of refugees to the camps of neighboring Thailand. Since the early 90’s entered Cambodia and started the Training Centre for landmine victims now called BANTEAY PREAB or CENTER OF THE DOVE. Several hundreds of these land mine victims attended the ceremony with their families.

Mr. TUN CHANNARETH, a landmine victim and an

Mr TUN CHANNARETH who received the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE in 1997

international Campaign to Ban Landmines Ambassador, who received the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE in 1997 on behalf of all the landmine victims, welcomed the king and said:

“We are very honored that you have come to visit our Centre of the Dove, and to be close to us, the little ones of the Kingdom of Cambodia”.

“We are especially happy that you Your Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni are at this training centre for the handicapped. Here hearts are healed, friends are made, and new skills learnt. Here disabled survivors build wheel chairs for others who suffer from land-mines and polio. We are proud that you come to see that we can use our head and heart and hands to help other people”.

In the year 1994 at Banteay Preab, 4 badly injured landmine victims, among them Tun Channareth, who were formerly serving as soldiers of different Cambodian armies wrote: “We beg the world to stop laying and producing mines. We beg the world to give money for mine clearance and assistance, so that we can rebuild our lives, our villages and our country again”.

King NORODOM SIHAMONI Sr Denise Coghlan and Mr TUN CHANNARETH

In 1997 the Ottawa Treaty to Ban Landmines was signed by 122 countries. From 1999 to 2004, the international Campaign to Ban Landmines monitored the implementation of the treaty and produced annual Landmine Monitor Reports.

This year 2004, November 28 – to December 3, the Nairobi Summit will review the Treaty.

The King after praising all those who have been working so hard in Cambodia to help the victims of land mines said: “Through this Land Mine Monitor for 2004 Report, people will be increasingly aware of the damage caused y landmines and it is hoped that countries all aver the whole world will stop producing and using landmines of all sorts and work together to get rid of the existing and planted landmines as well as provide assistance to landmine victims”.

Ms. Sheree Bailey, Assistance Research Coordinator of Landmine Monitor Global Launch, in her speech said:

“… We are very honored that your majesty has agreed to participate in this even. Your father was at the forefront of efforts to ban landmines, when on 27 September 1991, in a plea to the United Nations, he reminded the world of the devastation caused by landmines in this country, adding his “whish… to call for a worldwide ban on mines, beginning in Cambodia” Today, the premiere release of the LANDMINE MONITOR REPORT 2004 annual report, is taking place here in Cambodia. LANDMINE MONITOR REPORT 2004 contains information on every country in the world with respect to landmine-related issues, and incorporates a review of five years of mine actions since 1999”.

“In Cambodia our focus today is on the victims of landmines in recognition

His Majesty King NORODOM SIHAMONI gives gift to people

of the significance of the issue in this country. The release this morning will be followed by similar events later in the day in Maputo, Mozambique … and in Brussels, Belgium at NATO headquarters focusing on mine ban policy.

The ceremony had two special moving moments: One was a beautiful dance called: “Ban Mines for Peace” which portrays the power of evil, held by landmines over the people. Butterflies flying freely are terrified in the same way as children who play in mine affected land. Doves of Peace come to encourage a new life and to eradicate landmines. King Sihamoni was especially moved by the deep meaning of this Cambodian dance.

Another special moment was the gift given to the King by Chay Saron, a landmine survivor, of a sculpture of his creation.

The website of the Catholic Church in Cambodia congratulates the JESUIT SERVICE CAMBODIA and all the NGOs working in this same purpose of liberating Cambodia of this destructive weapon and helping the victims. It has been a silent and an effective solidarity.

Article Source: C.S.C. Reported by Fr. Omer Giraldo