Clearing landmines to protect his family
In brief
By finding a demining job with HALO, Por Neurm found a way to both provide for his family and keep his neighbors safe in Ta Penh—a village in southwestern Cambodia with a dark history.
Por Neurm remembers a life surrounded by landmines. Growing up as a farmer in southwest Cambodia, he often had to make a long journey on foot through dense jungle to reach the nearest market – a route he knew was littered with landmines.
These mines were laid by Khmer Rouge soldiers in the mid-1980s, as part of their guerrilla campaign against Vietnamese forces. They were laid in a “nuisance” pattern, meant to hinder, confuse, and deter Vietnamese forces as they pursued fleeing Khmer Rouge fighters into Cambodia’s mountainous and jungle regions bordering Thailand.
Even after Khmer Rouge ended, these threats of landmines never disappeared.
For Cambodians left to live in this treacherous land now, this means constant uncertainty and fear.
Mr. Neurm explained that everyday tasks for survival like foraging wild mushrooms or collecting firewood meant going into areas known to contain landmines and other unexploded ordnance.
Accidents were common, and fear was constant.
The community leads initiative
Mr. Neurm knew he wanted to do something about the constant fear he and his neighbors faced. Once HALO began clearance operations in his village in 2000, he felt compelled to join.
Being a deminer was not only a way to contribute to the safety of his community, but also was a chance to earn a stable, reliable income for his family.
That decision marked the beginning of a 15-year career with HALO.
As a deminer, Mr. Neurm came to understand the full extent of Cambodia’s landmine problem and the critical importance of clearance work. Over the years, he found and destroyed countless landmines. Each one destroyed was, to him, a life saved – a belief that motivated him to continue year after year.
Ta Penh is now safer
HALO found and destroyed over 250 landmines in Ta Penh and, most importantly, ensured the safety of 561 villagers.
Mr. Neurm played a key role as a deminer, supporting land clearance as well as guiding survey teams to help locate landmines. His intimate knowledge of the land he loves demonstrated the vital importance of community engagement in survey and clearance.
Mr. Neurm hopes HALO’s works continues until there are no more landmines in Cambodia, so no more lives are lost. A goal that HALO teams are reaching towards, one mine at a time—thanks to the dedication of donor support.
A deminer works in Mr. Neurm's neighborhood of Ta Penh.
