Land Mines

On the way to Banteay Srei we passed the Cambodia Land Mine Museum. I asked the driver if we had time to stop on the way back. The museum was started by a former child soldier who later decided to dedicate his life to deactivating land mines. At least one-third of Cambodia is still mined – now I see why it was such a cause of Lady Diana’s. Land mines are designed to maim civilians, not as a weapon of war. The museum had displays of several kinds of mines and a mock minefield, where you can see how they are hidden – it would be easy to walk along and step on one.





I came out of the museum and got back in the taxi and broke down in tears. As we were driving we had seen several Cambodians on the backs of motorcycles with crutches or missing limbs. I asked Kong if he knew anyone who had encountered a mine and he mentioned his grandfather and a couple of other people. And then I realized that there probably isn’t a single Cambodian who doesn’t have a close relative who had been injured by a land mine. And then when you add the whole Killing Fields atrocities, it is amazing to look at the country now and a see peaceful way of life and think of what the people went through. And then you throw in the desperation of the people around the temples – my heart just went out to them. I kept thinking that I had to find a way to come back.

I actually had an interview for a job in Cambodia, the same week as the Peace Corps Response interview. It was a long shot – there was an internal candidate – and I decided to go for the sure (and short-term) thing and then see how I feel. I don’t know yet where I’ll travel after my assignment (I also have vacation days that I can use) but Cambodia is high on the list (as is Laos).