On 08 December 2017, ARMAC had the honour of organising internal training on the Victim Assistance, delivered by Mr. Ny Nhar, the Deputy Director of Victim Assistance Department of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, at the Permanent Secretariat of ARMAC.

The main focus of the training was Mine Victim Assistance and Disability Coordination. It started with an overview of mines/ERW, and Mr. Ny Nhar mentioned the casualties and injuries due to mines in Cambodia as at December 2016 (since 1976) was 64,662 people. Victim assistance and mine clearance remain significant focuses in Cambodia as the contaminated area is still high.

Victim assistance in Cambodia is regulated under the Law on the Protection and Promotion of the Right of Persons with Disabilities. Mr. Ny Nhar explained that the coordination mechanism at the government level for victim assistance in Cambodia lies with the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, Disability Action Council and Department of Social Welfare under the Cambodian Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation. On the local level, people with disability are united through the People with Disability Foundation, and currently CMAA conducts data collection on the number of people with disabilities in 2000 of Cambodia’s villages.

The training also discussed capacity building initiatives for survivor networks and the inclusion of cross-cutting issues in programme implementation. In addition to this, Mr. Ny Nhar also mentioned that the survivor networks and CMAA have also assessed the availability of service providers, including public health services and physical rehabilitation services.

(ARMAC, 08 December 2017)

ARMAC requested a courtesy call to the United Nations Development Program in Cambodia on 1 December 2017. In the courtesy call, Mr. Ly Panharith, Executive Director of ARMAC, explained the history and structure of ARMAC as the center of excellence which facilitates mine action support to ASEAN Member States (AMS). The Executive Director continued to elaborate the 3 (three) mandate and functions of ARMAC.

He also underlined the importance of conducting a survey or discussion to assess the needs and challenges faced by the landmine/ERW affected states in ASEAN, as well as to map out the available resources inside and/or outside the region to support the mine action program.

Ms. Claire Vander Vaeren, UNDP Resident Representative in Cambodia expressed her interest in the work of ARMAC and the way ARMAC will collaborate with other regional and national mine action organisations. She asked ARMAC to make a specific request if any technical assistance from UNDP is needed. She also offered to connect ARMAC to UNMAS for further discussion and cooperation.

(ARMAC 1 December 2017)

On 30 November 2017, ARMAC hosted a meeting with the Humanitarian Mine Action Initiative Myanmar and Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) Cambodia, at the ARMAC Permanent Secretariat.

Mr. U Tant Zin, President of HMAI, explained that over half of Myanmar’s land area is contaminated with the landmines/ERW, with 44% of the contamination being UXO, anti-vehicle and antipersonnel mines, and 56% being unknown types. Based on the data collected from the Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU), the civilian landmine casualties include men (61%), women (4%), and children (4%), and details of 31% of victims are unknown. Mr. Aksel Steen Nilsen added that the use of landmines is still quite high in Myanmar.

Among 5 (five) core components of mine action, NGOs in Myanmar have implemented programmes for 2 (two) components, mine risk education and victim assistance. NGOs such as NPA, HaloTrust, and MAG have been overseeing these mine action initiatives in Myanmar.

It is necessary to support the mine clearance in Myanmar considering the existing high contamination in the country. ARMAC will conduct a survey to further identify the actual needs and challenges faced by the affected ASEAN Member States, as well as to assess the available resources required to elevate mine action in the affected states.

(ARMAC 30 November)

HE Mr. Xiong Bo, the Ambassador of People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Cambodia, hosted a courtesy call requested by ARMAC on 28 November 2017. The courtesy call started with the introduction of ARMAC by the Executive Director of ARMAC, Mr. Ly Panharith. HE Mr. Xiong Bo was keen to know about the function of ARMAC as an entity in the ASEAN region, as he realised that the impact of landmines/ERW in ASEAN Member States (AMS) could affect the development sector.

PRC supported the establishment of ARMAC by providing the office renovation and office equipment in 2015. Mr. Ly Panharith proposed some aspects of cooperation between PRC and China. HE Mr. Xiong Bo added that People’s Republic of China has committed to the supporting the implementation of ASEAN priorities though the ASEAN+1 mechanism and that he would convey ARMAC’s proposal to the government of PRC.

(ARMAC 28 November 2017)

On 15 November 2017, ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) staff conducted an internal training titled “Introduction to Mine Action”, delivered by the Mine Action Expert, Mr. Sam Oum, Project Manager of Humanitarian Disarmament Program Cambodia, Norwegian People’s Aid. The training was held in the permanent secretariat of ARMAC in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The full-day training provided a basic understanding of humanitarian mine action and why it is necessary to conduct mine action in Southeast Asia. He underlined that “Humanitarian Mine Action goes beyond demining/mine clearance, and involves the development aspects, especially towards the affected people. Thus, plan and look forward to upcoming opportunities.”

The landmines/ERW have been defined as a threat to people’s safety, a constraint to the socio-economic development, and a humanitarian problem in the Southeast Asia region. Furthermore, there are at least 6 (six) countries that are directly affected by the landmines/ERW in ASEAN. Thus, the overall mine action programs bring urgency in the region and the full-operationalisation of ARMAC is necessary.

(ARMAC, 15 November 2017)

The Inaugural Meeting of the Steering Committee of the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre (ARMAC) was held yesterday at the ARMAC’s Headquarters in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The meeting discussed the substantive matters for the full operationalisation of ARMAC, including the selection of the Executive Director, the Annual Operational Budget and the two-year work plan (2017-2018) of the Center.

It is the first meeting to kick start the Center into full function since it was established through the adoption of its Terms of Reference by the ASEAN Leaders in 2013. Upon full operationalisation, ARMAC will serve as a center of excellence to assist interested ASEAN Member States in research, knowledge sharing and raising awareness of the effects of explosive remnants of war and encourage efforts to address them.

The meeting was chaired by H.E. Prasith Sayasith, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao PDR to Cambodia, as the Chair of the Steering Committee of ARMAC and attended by the Representatives of all ASEAN Member States to the Steering Committee of ARMAC and the ASEAN Secretariat.

The establishment of ARMAC in Cambodia was the initiative of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia during Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2012.

(Press Release by ASEAN Secretariat, 22 September 2016)