PHNOM PENH: On Saturday, forth of December, a Golf tournament and Luncheon was held to promote the Friends of Mine Action. On Monday, the Senior Minister and First Vice President of CMAA Friends of Mine Action, Ly Thuch has released the statement regarding the speech held during the Golf Tournament. He has delivered his own messages and also read a statement written by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

In a humored speech with jokes references of golf club, the Senior Minister has expressed his gratitude to all participants of event, saying that between the matches all of them have peacefully exchanged their skills.

He has compared the act of hitting a ball of golf into hitting a landmine. The comparison said that the more you hit a golf ball, the more you will want to practice and hit it again. But as opposite, the landmine can be hit only one time. And after hit, or you die or you will never want to hit again.

Ly Thuch said such horrible explosion happened to nearly 65,000 people who were killed, amputated and injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in Cambodia.

He further the message sharing with the guests a story of a landmine survivor, Mrs. Sang Soth, who is a beneficiary of Clearing for Results Project and currently lives in Ek Phnom District, Battambang Province.

At the year 2000 Sang Soth was farming when unexpectedly she has step on a landmine, causing her to lost her leg. The Senior Minister quoted Sang Soth, who said: “I saw sparkles on my leg. My ears started ringing. I felt my leg was heavy and when I looked at it, it was gone. I shouted to my sister that I stepped on a landmine and lost my leg. At that moment, I thought I would die. It is devastating.”

After describing her story, Ly Thuch has updated all friends of Mine Action that Cambodia keeps battling to clean the Kingdom free of landmines, reassuring the aspiration to finish the job by releasing all known-mine contaminated areas by 2025.

At next, he has addressed all guests of the event the words by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has delivered his words of thanks for all present at the event.

He has reminded the Nation outcomes after the collapse of the Democratic Kampuchea, on seven January of 1979, when the Kingdom has regained its freedom and rights.In the mine sector, the Kingdom has moved forward with accomplishments along with Cambodians and development partners to gradually set Cambodia free from the threats of landmines and ERWs.

His special gratitude was delivered to national and international operators, specially deminers for participating in the high risk activities promoted by the Royal Government to clear landmines and ERWs.

At last, the Cambodian Mine Action and the Victim Assistance Authority, which is the Government’s arm for Cambodian mine action, were reminded as essential partners to clean the nation’s land. Prime Minister Hun Sen finished his message saying: “Together we began; together we will finish our job ‘Towards a Mine Free Cambodia`