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THE K-5 BARRIER minefield in Cambodia is one of the largest minefields in the world.
Estimated to contain up to 2 million mines, it runs along the entire 370 kilometres of the Thai-Cambodian border; from the Laos to the east, to the Gulf of Thailand in the south.
It was on the K-5 that Yan Srey Yen was first exposed to the horrors of landmines. The 18-year-old had just completed her training as a de-miner with the HALO Trust, a charity supported by Irish Aid (the Irish government’s overseas assistance programme) which removes debris left behind by war.
She was working with her team on a forested slope when suddenly there was a loud explosion.
“I was in shock,” she recalls. “I couldn’t move.”
At first, her team members thought she had detonated the mine. But she was fine.
It was 60-year-old Chhem Se, another de-miner working in an area about 15 metres away. The blast was so strong it broke his helmet apart.
“There was blood all over his face and he’d lost a hand,” recalls Srey Yen. “I was shaking
when I came to help.”
The medic patched Chhem Se up and he was taken on a stretcher to the evacuation point. He began vomiting blood. He was then flown by helicopter to hospital where died several days later.
Chhem Se was an experienced de-miner who had been with HALO for 15 years. He was due to retire within a matter of weeks. A popular member of Srey Yen’s team, his death was a sobering reminder of the deadly work Srey Yen had embarked upon; that even the most experienced de-miners were vulnerable to the devastating impact of mines.
“Later, when I learned that he died,” she says, “I cried.”
Twenty years ago this month, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines was awarded the Nobel Peace prize. The same year, the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (also known as the Mine Ban Treaty or the Ottawa Treaty) was adopted. This represented a landmark legal framework urging states to eliminate landmines worldwide.
The campaign, which comprises 1,300 organisations, has returned thousands of acres of land to impoverished communities all over the world.
Out of 195 states, 163 have signed the Treaty.
Ireland helped draft the agreement and was among the first signatories.
In Cambodia, where the campaign began, more than 50% of minefields have now been cleared and accident rates have plummeted.
The campaign has been an extraordinary success.
The history
Landmines were used by all sides in Cambodia’s decades-long conflict.
In 1978, after the Vietnamese army drove the Khmer Rouge from power, they pushed the guerrillas over the frontier into neighbouring Thailand. They then sealed the border with a network of defences that included the vast K-5 barrier minefield.
The war came to an end in 1998, but landmines continue to reap a deadly harvest.
But it is not only landmines that pose a threat. Another legacy of the conflict are thousands, perhaps millions of unexploded bombs and shells which are unearthed daily.
These include cluster bombs, or ‘bombies’ which are small balls of steel that are dropped from planes and send metal fragments over an area of several football fields.
Millions were dropped and they have a high failure rate and do not always detonate when released.
After the Ottawa Treaty, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines continued their work, leading to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which also banned their use.
In 2008, Ireland chaired the negotiations on the Convention as part of its continuing leadership in this area.
The Convention on Cluster Munitions, which was adopted in Dublin, has since been signed by 108 countries.
As Cambodia’s population increases and land becomes scarce, poor farmers are moving into previously uncultivated areas, particularly along the border with Thailand; much of it contaminated by the explosive remnants of war.
Recently, the Cambodian government started building a road that will run parallel to the frontier alongside the K-5 minefield. And whenever roads are built, more people move into these areas, exposing them to the dangers of landmines and bombs.
More mines than people
In 2006, the HALO Trust began to clear the K-5.
A UK-based humanitarian clearance organisation HALO has been operational in Cambodia since 1991 when the landmine problem was at its worst.
At the time, some estimates put the number of landmines at 10 million; more than
one for every man, woman and child.
Irish Aid has supported HALO’s work in Cambodia since 1997; part of a global commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to eradicate poverty and ease the plight of civilians caught up in conflict.
And without mine clearance, there can be no meaningful development. Today, as direct result of that support, 53,000 families can now farm free from the fear of serious injury or death.
HALO employs over 1,000 people in Cambodia.
They recruit and train female and male de-miners from mine-affected areas, supporting some of the poorest people in Cambodia. And by recruiting and training locals to work in HALO teams, it gives staff a greater sense of purpose, at times clearing their own land.
Srey Yen’s village, Ou Pok, is less than three kilometres from the K-5 minefield. She joined The HALO Trust in 2012 when teams came to her village to recruit de-miners.
Like many of her team members, she is from a poor farming family; before joining HALO she dropped out of school to support her parents by selling fish in a market on the Thai side.
But when she joined HALO her father was not pleased.
It wasn’t until she returned to their village with her team that he understood.
“He was really proud when I went to clear mines in our village,” she says.
Everyone knows me and they talked about how I helped them and that made my father even prouder.
Srey Yen was a toddler when the war with the Khmer Rouge came to an end. The mines closest to her house were Chinese Type-69’s. These bounding mines leap into the air when triggered, exploding at chest height, sending small steel balls at ballistic speed in all directions.
A total 1,570 mines were found in the area.
“I only knew the extent of the problem when we began clearing them,’ says Srey Yen. “I became scared when I realised just how close they were.”
The concrete results of Srey Yen’s team is not hard to find.
One of her neighbours, Sreng Oun, had a third of his land polluted by these hidden killers. Since the mines have been cleared, life has improved and people are no longer fearful.
Before we had about five accidents in the village. After HALO cleared the area, I haven’t heard of a single one.
The economic benefit
Mine clearance has also made a significant difference economically.
Not far away, in Trapeang Tav village, Ouk Ra’s land was contaminated by more than 20 mines.
Before the mines were removed, the family earned approximately $1,000 a year from the land that was mine free.
“I had nowhere else to go,” she says.
Now the mines have been cleared her income has doubled.
“If HALO hadn’t come,” she says, “it would be really difficult; I’d have nothing. And no money to buy rice.”
Today Srey Yen is working on a stretch of the K-5 that is a stone’s throw from her village called Chomka Chek. The money from Irish Aid goes to operational costs like food, fuel, equipment and salaries.
The teams are in the minefield just after 7am and work until midday before going back out until 3pm.
They work in heavy protective clothing with helmets and visors in temperatures that often exceed 30 degrees Celsius.
The work is slow and methodical and discipline is rigidly enforced by the 23-year-old.
She spends her days watching over her team ensuring they work safely and effectively.
A simple mistake can result in serious injury or, as in the case with Chhem Se, death.
As a field officer with HALO, Srey Yen oversees nine de-miners.
Despite her youth, she is clearly driven and leads by example. “When I see people make mistakes, I tell them straight away. If they didn’t change their behaviour, I’d report them,” she says.
Then they’d get warned because they didn’t listen to me. People in my team say I’m serious and strict during working hours. But when I explain clearly to people, they understand. If they don’t listen and don’t work hard together it’s difficult for me to manage. It can save lives.
In the rare occurrence where an accident occurs, all work is stopped.
After the wounded are evacuated, a detailed and rigorous investigation is carried out by HALO staff to ascertain exactly what happened and why.
Following strict operating procedures in the minefield is taken extremely seriously and finding the cause is paramount to prevent further accidents.
Injuries still happen
Members of Srey Yen’s team are only too aware of the need to follow strict procedures and the importance of good leadership. And they treat Srey Yen with a respect usually given to someone much older. It’s a testament to her leadership capabilities.
“She’s really strong,” says one HALO member.
It’s good because people will act, they don’t ignore her; they listen.
Despite the great progress that has been made in Cambodia, there are still reports of mine incidents. And the increasing mechanisation of farming in brings added hazards. Small tractors are now a common sight, often carrying heavy loads and people to and from fields.
This increases the risks of death and injury from anti-tank mines.
When 54-year-old Seum Kon moved to Romdoul Choeng Phnom village, beneath the Dangrek range, everyone was afraid of mines. Kon remembers the day well. A tractor carrying eight people detonated an anti-tank mine, killing five people and injuring three, including two babies.
Kon arrived to find a scene of carnage.
“A body had been cut in two, people had lost legs and a dead baby was stuck on a tree. One body was twisted and contorted in an unnatural way,” he recalls.
“There was blood and entrails everywhere.”
Immediately he called HALO and, together with the other villagers, helped the survivors to the main road. The HALO ambulance then evacuated them to hospital and Kon helped take the dead to their families.
What made it worse was the track had been used many times before and people believed it was perfectly safe.
“People were terrified after that,” says Kon.
But all that has changed as the entire area was cleared.
Back in the K-5 at Chomka Chek, Srey Yen takes a break from the work.
“I never thought, as a young girl, I could work as hard as a man,” she says.
She had always lived with her parents. She’s learnt to be independent, she says, as well the importance of working as a team.
“It’s another family for me.”
A solitary figure, Srey Yen is clearly motivated; the job is no longer just a way of helping her family. When her parents heard of the accidents they wanted her to stop work.
“I refused. I know just how important this work is.”
When she tells people about her job now, she wants them to understand why clearing mines is important. In urban areas, few understand the hazards the poor face in the countryside. And for much of the population, the war is little more than a memory.
For Srey Yen, she is clearing mines from a conflict she has no experience of. But that doesn’t lessen her commitment to the work.
“As long as HALO is in Cambodia,’ she says, “I want to work with them. I hope that after HALO, and when the mine clearance finishes, that everyone is safe and can use the land.”
But as long as there are mines, and people are poor, she says, they’ll have no option but to take risks.
It is 20 years since Diana, Princess of Wales, helped raise awareness of landmines when she visited HALO in Angola. Since then, 27 countries have been declared mine-free, 51 million stockpiled landmines have been destroyed and the global trade in mines has ended.
Yet more than 60 million people still live with the daily fear of landmines and unexploded bombs.
Signatories of the Treaty have pledged to clear the world of mines by 2025. Most agree this deadline is aspirational and unlikely to be achievable unless significant funding is forthcoming. Irish Aid has just signed a four-year contract to continue funding HALO.
“I know that we’re trying to finish for 2025,” says Srey Yen. “But it will take longer because no one really knows how many mines there are. I want to see that people are safe. If I have no job in the future,” she says with a smile, ”I’d be happy, because that means everyone will be safe.”
Nic Dunlop is a Bangkok-based photographer, writer and occasional (Emmy-nominated) filmmaker. This report was completed with support from Irish Aid and the Embassy of Ireland to Vietnam.
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No study was really needed here.
Definitely no study needed, it’s already well known. I have a female gamer tag name, I wish I made a gender neutral one when I created it but I also don’t see the point in changing a gamer name I like due to some eejits targeting me for being a good female gamer just because I bruised their ego. Muting them is the best option for online gaming and deleting inappropriate messages as soon as they arrive in the inbox.
I’m a gamer, but as a bunch, gamers really are horrible. I only use my mic with people I know in real life. Otherwise I mute everybody.
@elaine You think that’s bad. You should see the male on male abuse. Don’t know how many times I have received online abuse from other gamers when you beat them. I’m not easily offended so I take it in good stride. Its great crack beating people online & they get all wound up LOL.
At least you don’t get pictures of other males bits and pieces though Graham, with obnoxious messages of rape. I know what messages other males get, I have male friends, male or female it’s not ok.
Wow yeah that’s too much. I don’t understand morons who do that. I’ll just send a pic of my knob to some random woman on the internet. Yeah she will definitely like that. Idiots. Did you report them for it?
Yeah I have through the xbox itself and emailing xbox support but to be honest I don’t think it’s taken very seriously, it’s happened a good few times to me. I’m 28 so I can let it over my head even when the messages are frightening but I do pity younger girls and boys who no doubt receive messages of that nature. I just hope parents are savvy enough to monitor contact that’s been made to kids on xbox live like their childrens activity on the computer.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. They don’t know what age the people they are sending the pics to are. Just block & report them I suppose. Your right Xbox probably don’t do a whole lot about it. I guess I’m lucky not to get them kind of pics from weirdos
But then again parents buy their children games that are over 15s or over 18s and they play those games online. You wouldn’t let your young kid watch a film with those age certs so why some let their kid play a game with the same cert? Gaming safety and responsibility should be thought to parents. haha this has gone off topic slightly. :)
Yeah parents definitely need to take more responsibility with the kind of games they get their kids. But also they could be mammy & daddies games that the kids are putting on when the parents are away. Your right this has gone off topic slightly. We need to finish this conversation over coffee :-)
In summary: 12 year old boys get mad because some girls are better than them at Call of Duty.
I’m on level 2 of snake. Chuffed.
Rule 16: there are no girls on the Internet.
The also probably live in their mothers basement and drink Mountain Dew by the bucket.
Its not a basement, it’s a command centre!!
Insert slow clap gif
Women gamers everywhere throw their hands up and say “we told you so!” Lol.
As I pointed out already on the Sen Higgins story; you get less abuse than men. Lol.
You say that the results of this study could be applied to other forums where people can act anonymously, like Youtube and Reddit.
Why is this the case? The research concludes that people who were doing badly in game were more likely to be aggressive towards females. What does this have to do with those sites? There’s no link.
Well I see online hostility towards women everyday but do hold out for a research experiment to prove it first.
It concluded that low status males have more to lose to competitive females. They are already struggling against better males in whatever task they are trying to complete and that is made all the more difficult by the introduction of females who may be better than them also. So they react negatively to this.
This could apply to many areas of society.
I don’t see online hostility towards women everyday.
I see hostility to both men and women online.
The link is that anonymity is common to the three. In a gaming environment, the sexist attitude can go unpunished and the same anonymity exists in youtube and probably to a greater extent in reddit, where throwaway accounts are even more common again.
As a generalised statement, I personally think this is a pretty useful study. Obviously people who openly abuse others online are losers but to gather evidence that they are worse at games which involve strategy is pretty interesting.
Halo might seem a simple point and click shooter, but better players are predictive & strategic. Proving that sexist flamers are effectively dumber at the games is an interesting statement.
Fozz, these two claims are pretty different.
The research shows that gamers tend to be more negative towards women when they have a *bad kill/death ratio* on a *videogame*. That’s it.
You’re not able to conclude from that limited knowledge that the same thing happens on social media sites, seeing as videogames and social media are fundamentally different environments (one being predominantly male, for one).
In what way can someone “do badly” on a social media site like they can on a scoreboard for a video game? They’re completely separate discussions.
It is interesting. I hope this insight can be used to help curb antisocial behaviour online.
Ciarán, you’re misinterpreting what the study actually found. It doesn’t show that the people who were ‘harassing’ (this is unclear – it says negative behaviour) women were worse at the game.
It may be the case that because the players were doing badly, they decided to take their anger out on the women they heard on voice chat. This doesn’t mean that they are actually worse at the game. The study is actually pretty careful not to explicitly claim that this is the case.
@Scarr. Exactly. I doubt the same eejits propose a toast to their opponents success when they loose to a male.
@malachi video games are anonymous social mediums too. If you want examples or the sort of vicious sexual aggressive abuse that you hear about being directed at celebs on twitter etc, check out the origins of the “Gamergate” scandal too.
Gaming may be male dominated, but aggressive sexism is a big issue there too.
Establishing and assigning traits to those who commit such abuses is the first step towards eradicating it.
The lessons which can be learned across such massive sample sizes can prove invaluable in fighting online abuse on all mediums. There’s a generation of kids coming who need to be taught how to interact on the Internet and we need the tools to direct the teachings.
Gamergate was to do with ethcial standards in video game journalism. Any harassment stemming from it was irrelevant to the goals of the movement and was condemned by those in the movement wherever it sprang up. Not relevant to what we’re discussing.
Woah, you say “massive sample sizes”? I don’t know if you’ve read many of these research papers but 160 odd games with 1-3 participants in each game is certainly NOT large. It is actually quite small for a study of this type.
Malachi, in halo, negative behaviour on voice comms can only really be in the form of harassment.
And sample of 189 incidents, ok, not massive, but certainly statistically significant.
Gamergate technically originated as journalistic ethics, but to claim that what happened there was related to journalistic ethics would in my opinion be grossly misguided. I wouldn’t dare claim that it was anything other than a shameful example of grotesque sexism.
Not true Ciarán. They never defined ‘negative’. It could simply be criticism, say “you should’ve killed him!” or “how did you lose the flag?!”, and I wouldn’t call that harassment. That would degrade and diminish actual harassment that is far more extreme.
186 participants is so-so. It shows a correlation, sure. But it really isn’t enough to making sweeping generalisations about.
Gamergate was about ethics in game journalism, and if you don’t accept then you’re just ignoring the facts. The movement resulted in multiple gaming websites *changing their ethics policies*. How exactly does a movement that just harasses women online get those kind of major results? I think it’s shallow to ignore the improvements the movement has made to the gaming industry.
Gamergate started as ethics and resulted in a debate, but more importantly it lead to significant harassment and abuse, specifically of females in the industry and highlighted the severe levels of sexism prevalent in gaming.
To ignore that and claim it was about ethics only is just…. unethical. In my opinion it’s to ignore the bigger issue.
As for negative, the severity isn’t relevant so long as a difference was identified.
Gamergate was a setup and no threat was made , she did it all for publicity. That yoke will say anything for attention. Gave out about violent games yet in picture’s of her game collection has dozens of violent games. She’s a hypocrite a fraud, and a clown.
Kids who don’t get their own way throw a tantrum. Shocker.
hmmm, comments open on this story but not on the callely or HSE stories how strange. Dear journal.ie why no articles about TTIP and the consequences for Irish citizens.
the journal PLOS One has way too much time on its hands
Played WoW for years and never saw or heard of female players getting abuse. We had a large (200+) friendly active guild which made weekly events for all types of players and everyone got along. Saying that, we rarely accepted anyone under 16 years old and put all new members on a months probation to see how they meshed. I miss the community big time but blizzard just diluted the game to a point where playing was dull and getting more directed to children.
As a girl who played WoW for years, I can confirm! Never had any sexist remarks, was part of a large guild too, well mixed in sexes, nationalities and 16+ (I quit when I couldn’t bring myself to play Kung Fu Panda btw!).
But I do think fantasy RPG gaming has a very different base – they attract a different type of player. Sure, you get your a$$holes, but it’s not as much of a pissing contest as FPS games. The abuse I’ve heard while my hubby plays CoD is unreal, if it was me I wouldnt open my mouth either!
So if a player is doing badly, they are more likely to lash out at other players. This is the findings of this study? Am I reading this right?
Oh, wait, I’m getting it wrong. If a MALE player is doing badly, HE is more likely to lash out at FEMALE players. I wonder what the stats were on women who play badly lashing out? Oh, they didn’t bother with that did they. No, they wouldn’t fit the narrative. I suppose it is progressive in that sense that the word “misogyny”, “basement-dwelling neckbeard” or “worst than ISIS” aren’t mentioned in this article. And Halo 3, really?
Reign it in!
“A total of 189 players spoke, all of them male. That’s not to say that women did not play, just that they did not speak…”
So no data on female reactions IS their data. Read sh*t properly before you go off on one!!
I just took one look at the headline and thought ‘Irish male bashing article’.
I played sport my entire life and have got abused tons of times so I have a thick skin but I play FIFA and world of tanks and the abuse I get is unreal. I hammer 95% of people I play on FIFA, I actually stopped playing on consoles because of the abuse , as on the PC you can’t message or contact someone and it tends to be more mature with FIFA anyway.
The other night in world of tanks in a mode called clan wars, a match was ending in a draw and because we didn’t let them win we got told to die and how we were the off spring of rape, get cancer etc. Really sick shit.
You basically do not need a study to find out these people need a life. as if you interacted like that in real life you would be hospitalized.
Tone policing… … really? Very progressive.
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