One of my recent photo essays focusing the landmine survivals. Two weeks ago I photographed a landmine survival former soldier.
Chhan Sambat was born in January 1971, in Odor Meanchey. He was 10 when joined the FUNCINPEC military arm. The Armee Nationale Sihanoukienne (ANS) was formed by Prince Sihanouk in 1981. In the middle of the 80s, he was seriously injured on his legs by a landmine and was transferred by emergency truck to Khao-I-Dang Khmer refugee camp, 20 Km north of Aranyaprathet in Prachinburi /now Sakeo/ province Thailand. His left leg had to be amputated below the knee immediately.
During those years, an estimated 200 war wounded were evacuated to Khao-I-Dang. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) chose KID for their first border surgical hospital where acute trauma patients were cared for, this was initially for war wounded; but came to be dominated by landmine victims. Dr. Haing Somnang Ngor physician and later actor and author; who is best known of the movie of Killing Fields (as a refugee) was employed in 1979 in the 400-bed ICRC hospital. The final scene in the movie was filmed at KID in 1983, in the surgical ward where Dr. Ngor had worked.
Mr. Sambat was staying in the hospital until he became self –sustaining. 6 months after the accident he was released and moved back to his village. Several years later he met with Sokha and married. His dream came true. He never thought will find someone who falls in love with a disabled soldier. They had nothing to give each other besides love and faith. The first daughter Srey Yoeun was born in 1988 and after two other boys. Because of the money shortage Chhan Sambat joined the army again. He has been clearing landmines for ages until in 1994 he was wounded again. This time he was evacuated by helicopter to the famous Phnom Penh army hospital, called 179. Both of his hands were seriously injured. After many months physical and mental rehabilitation he reunited with his family.
The struggle continued; Srey Yoeun was only 15 when she drowned in the lake near their shack house. The only picture the family has; was taken on Srey Yoeun’s burial. When the couple’s daughter died, they had to stay away from the burial. That was the custom of the village. 5 years ago they decided to move to Siem Reap, the well known tourist city. Mr. Sambat the veteran former soldier got a job at the Preah Enkosei pagoda where he does repair work. Sokha is working at the pagodas kitchen. They adopted two children and raise them up in the pagodas “apartment”, behind the stupas and tombs. Mr. Sambat receives $30 monthly financial benefit as a veteran. In a lucky month he makes $70. They don’t have to pay for the accommodation; but only the milk for the 4 months old baby girl cost $10 for every 5 days. They still believe that life can change if the children study hard and are able to pay the expenses. Their oldest son is currently on military service.
Mr. Sambat said, if the Yantra Tattoos “ancient scripts”; which are written in Khmer and Phali; don’t cover most of the part of his body, he doesn’t survive the accident. The tattoos are said to have the power to stop bullets, mines and break knife blades. Only those parts of his legs and hands were injured where no tattoos covered.
Note: the healthcare system in Cambodia is structured on health centers, referral hospitals and national level hospitals. Medical care usually is not free of charge and the cost of long-term medical care continues to be prohibitive. First aid is available in government health centers at commune, district, and sometimes village levels, but many injuries require specialized treatment, including surgery. Physical rehabilitation services for landmine survivors are generally well organized and of a good quality in Cambodia, particularly for amputees, although the needs remain immense. However, there is often a long delay until the first visit to a rehabilitation centre. Around 60,000 Cambodians have suffered amputations as a result of mine injuries since 1979. The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) estimates that there may be as many as four to six million mines and unexploded ordinances in Cambodia.
While the Khmer Rouge were the worst offenders, deliberately targeting the civilian population with mines and booby traps, all sides have shown blatant disregard for the long-term consequences of the use of mines. Furthermore, the blame extends beyond the warring factions. Their patrons... the Chinese, the Soviets, the Americans, and a host of smaller nations... continued to supply the weapons with callous indifference to the effects of their actions. The CMAC reports that mines found in Cambodia have been manufactured in the US, China, Vietnam, the former USSR and East Germany, the former Czechoslovakia, India, Chile, South and North Korea, Thailand, Iran, Iraq, South Africa, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia, Hungary, and Poland.
