Cambodia still contending with the deadly threat of millions of landmines

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Inside ngo to wide Cambodia landmines

Inside the unsafe ngo to find and wide landmines successful Cambodia 02:47

Siem Reap, Cambodia — On a ungraded roadworthy astir 1 hour's thrust extracurricular Siem Reap successful northwestern Cambodia is simply a makeshift campy flying the American flag.

The emblem is besides seen connected the uniforms of those who enactment determination clearing landmines, and is proudly worn by Bill Morse, laminitis of Cambodia Self Help DeMining.

"People cognize the United States clears landmines here," Morse told CBS News. "…It takes 15 to 30 seconds to hide a landmine. You tin spot however agelong it takes to place a landmine."

Self Help DeMining is 1 of 8 specified organizations operating successful Cambodia, 1 of the astir heavy mined nations successful the world.

"We person had radical dice doing this work," Morse said. "These radical are putting their lives connected the enactment each azygous time to cleanable up what we near behind."

Millions of mines, clump bombs and unexploded ordnance still litter the Cambodian countryside, a nonstop effect of decades of conflict stemming from the Vietnam War, which ended 50 years agone this week.

The U.S. bombing raids successful the 1960s and 1970s spilled into neighboring Cambodia, destabilizing the country. This helped pb to the rise of the Khmer Rouge and past a brutal civilian war.

Cambodia had hoped to beryllium mine-free by the extremity of 2025, but that program is present wishful thinking. There are astir 700 quadrate miles of known minefields yet to beryllium cleared, and caller areas that are perpetually being discovered.

In 1 lawsuit Morse's team, nether a canopy of forest, uncovered a Chinese-made anti-tank mine. The squad detonated it utilizing TNT.

While thousands person died from the mines, adjacent much person been maimed, including 37-year-old Poy.

As a young lad playing successful the fields, helium picked up what helium thought was a artifact and it blew disconnected his close limb and blinded him successful his near eye.

Then, astir 3 years ago, helium was assisting successful a mine-clearing cognition erstwhile different excavation exploded. The interaction of the blast burned his face.

"Everyone other died," Poy told CBS News of the 2nd blast. "Two times, and I'm inactive alive. It's a blessing."