Australia grants 2 million dollars to Cambodian land mine victims

Phnom Penh - Australia will provide 2.14 million dollars in aid over two years to help improve rehabilitation services for landmine victims in remote areas of Cambodia, the Australian government said Tuesday. In a statement posted on the AusAid website, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs said it would fund the supply of prosthetic limbs and skills'-training programmes, and support rehabilitation centres.

"Landmines and unexploded ordnance are significant obstacles to reconstruction and development," it said. "Australia's new aid package will help reduce suffering and lessen the threat and socio-economic impact of landmines and other explosive remnants of war in Cambodia."

Up to 6 million land mines and unexploded ordinance still litter parts of Cambodia after 30 years of civil war and US bombing during the Vietnam War era.

The Australian government said the two-year package would go towards assisting the Cambodian Red Cross provide survivor assistance and mine-risk education and support the Cambodian government develop a victim-assistance plan.

Australia has provided about 47 million dollars on mine action in Cambodia since 1996, the statement said, adding that international aid from Australia "has significantly reduced landmine and unexploded ordnance casualty rates in Cambodia by over 80 per cent in the past decade".