The 1999 Mine Ban treaty imposed a 10-year deadline on signatories to clear anti-personnel mines and destroy mine stockpiles. At the December 2009 Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World, Cambodia was granted its request for a 10-year extension. This is because Cambodia – which endured three decades of war – is one of the most landmined countries in the world. Landmines cost as little as $1 to produce, but can cost up to $1,000 to remove.
Millions of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) continue to maim and kill mainly poor Cambodians today. Since 1979, there have been over 60,000 reported casualties. While the numbers are falling, there were still 271 casualties reported in 2008. Cambodia has the dubious distinction of having the highest percentage of amputees in the world – a challenge for a country where a third of the population lives on under $1 a day.
