Cambodia to ask UN to deploy peacekeeping forces

Monday, February 07, 2011
By Xinhua, The Nation

Cambodia on Monday called on the United Nations to dispatch peacekeeping forces to disputed zone of Thailand and Cambodia to avoid further clashes between troops.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said his government will ask the UN to sent forces to "a buffer zone" at disputed border area.

Hun Sen made the remarks at the graduation ceremony of Norton University.

"We have sent forces to Sudan, to Chad, to Central Africa, now we ask the United Nations' forces to be the 'buffer zone' for us in order to avoid fighting."

The clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops have already caused many seriously damages to the temple of Preah Vihear, a World Heritage, according to the report from Cambodian military stationed at the border area.

Cambodian and Thai troops have exchanged fire for five times since Feb 4, and both sides have used heavy weapons including rockets, machine guns, mortars and artillery.

Cambodia sends 197 deminers to participate in UN mission in Lebanon

November 17, 2010
Xinhua

Cambodia on Wednesday sent a group of 197 forces to Lebanon for a UN peace keeping mission in the framework of the UN's interim forces, bringing the total Cambodian forces in Lebanon to 219.

During a see-off ceremony at the military airport on Wednesday, Tea Banh, minister of defense, advised the forces to respect the independence of the sovereignty of the country that will work on the mission and keep good relations with that country, as well as maintain the dignity of Cambodia as they represent the country.

Prak Sokhon, undersecretary of state for the council of ministers and chairman of the National Coordination Committee of UN Peacekeeping Operation, said that including the forces to Lebanon, up to now, Cambodia has sent 845 forces to join the UN Peacekeeping Operation overseas.

On November 8, a group of 21 engineering forces at the Cambodian Royal Armed Forces had already departed for Lebanon for a one year humanitarian mission to construct roads, bridges, and de-mining. The group of 21 left early in order to prepare camps, materials and equipments in advance.

Under the United Nations Peace Keeping Programs, Cambodia has sent de-mining teams to Sudan, Chad and Central African as well as Lebanon for humanitarian mission.

U.N. says Cambodian troops to aid in Chad

N'DJAMENA, Chad, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- The United Nations said Thursday 42 Cambodian troops have arrived in Chad to provide security and humanitarian help there and in the Central African Republic.

The United Nations said in a release that in addition to facilitating humanitarian aid in the African countries, the Cambodian troops will help protect civilians and help in the relocation of U.N. personnel and logistic assets.

The eastern portion of Chad is serving as a refuge for 160,000 displaced Chad residents and nearly 250,000 refugees from the Sudan's Darfur region.

A number of refugees also fled armed conflict in Darfur in the northern part of the Central African Republic.

The United Nations has been helping the refugees since 2005.

The international organization said equipment difficulties encountered by some participating countries have left the U.N. mission operating at 53 percent of its authorized strength, or 2,750 troops.

Cambodian deminers train, awaiting Sudan's dry season

RCAF Company 405 soldiers receive training in Sudan at the beginning of their mission. Photo Supplied

Tuesday, 01 September 2009
Sam Rith
The Phnom Penh Post

Life is good for Returned deminers
As the soldiers of Company 405 were packing their bags for Sudan, troops from RCAF Company 315 were preparing to come home after serving as UN deminers in Sudan for one year. Mey Sophea, the commander of Company 315, said that thanks to their generous pay, most of the men in his company came home to better lives than they had before they left. After enjoying a month of vacation time following their return, the soldiers returned to their military duties in Cambodia in mid-July. Khun Sophal, one of 139 members of Company 315, said that going to Sudan had made a significant difference in his life at home.“I used the money I earned during my mission to Sudan to repair my house and buy a new motorbike,” he said. “My family has been living much better since I returned.”

For the past three years, Cambodian soldiers have worked as deminers on the UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan. Sam Rith looks at one company of deminers three months into their tour of duty.

It has been almost three months since the troops of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) company 405 left for a one-year United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sudan, but company members say that homesickness and rough conditions are not enough to deter them from their humanitarian effort.

Speaking by phone from southern Sudan, near the Nile River, Company 405 Commander Taing Bunkry told the Post last week that his troops were doing well and had been making progress on their mission.

"We are all safe and healthy here, and have succeeded in some of our work," he said.

Since 2006, the Kingdom has sent 468 peacekeepers to Sudan. With so many unexploded mines still lurking in Cambodia, RCAF troops have over the years developed internationally sought-after demining expertise.

After arriving in Sudan, the troops received six weeks of demining training from the UN before taking an exam to secure their demining licences. So far, Taing Bunkry said, the company has focused on unexploded ordnance, clearing about 10 to date, as well as on educating the local population about the demining process. They will begin demining in earnest in October, after the east African rainy season ends.

The main area that the deminers will focus on during the dry season lies about 200 kilometres from their barracks, so they have yet to visit it.
"We have been studying the mined area only by flying over it in helicopters - we can't travel there by land because there are no roads and the area is covered in foliage during the rainy season," Taing Bunkry said.

During the rainy season, evening temperatures in Sudan average around 18 degrees centigrade, with daytime temperatures between 42 and 45 degrees; during the dry season, midday temperatures can hit 50 degrees.

Despite the inhospitable climate, the RCAF soldiers say they are happy to fulfill their mission.

"When I first came, I got a cold due to the weather, but now I'm fine," said 28-year-old Im Srim, a member of the 52-soldier contingent. "I'm very proud because [we] are representing the whole Cambodian nation as we fulfill our peacekeeping mission."

Although conditions were challenging at first, Im Srim said, he was thrilled to have the opportunity to work in Sudan.

"I really value my work, and this is the first time I've ever participated in an overseas mission," he said, adding that he was very pleased with his monthly salary of US$1,020.

Seang Kunthea, 31, another deminer from company 405, said that when he first arrived in Sudan, he and his fellow soldiers felt homesick for Cambodia, but that they now feel more comfortable because they have been contacting their families frequently by phone.

"We've gotten used to being far away from our families, and we will see them again when we complete our work," he said, adding that he has a wife and a 5-year-old son at home in Cambodia.

Seang Kunthea's wife, 26-year-old San Socheata of Phnom Penh, said that she and her son were patiently awaiting her husband's return.

"I wish my husband was at home, but it is his obligation to support the family and serve his country," she said.

2nd batch of Cambodian deminers return from UN peacekeeping missions in Sudan

PHNOM PENH, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The second batch of Cambodian deminers, 135 officers and soldiers in all, returned to the Bochentong Air Base here Tuesday, after accomplishing their year-long UN peacekeeping tasks in Sudan.

"Now, they come back, safe, healthy and in due numbers, after earning honor for our country," Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Tea Banh told the deminers' family members, government officials, UN representatives and diplomats at the welcome ceremony.

Before their departure from the African country, they had handed over the UN mission to the third batch of 139 Cambodian demining officers and soldiers who left the kingdom Sunday at the base, according to a military press release.

So far, Cambodian deminers have cleared 57,542,488 square meters of areas in Sudan, Ke Kim Yan, Commander in Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), told Sunday's send-off ceremony.

Cambodia has taken part in UN peacekeeping operations on humanitarian mine clearance in Sudan for the third consecutive year, he said.

Along with consistent economic growth, Cambodia has been seeking to gain international military presence.

Cambodia sent its first batch of over 130 deminers to Sudan in April 2006 under the UN umbrella, the first time that the kingdom participated in the world body's global peacekeeping efforts.

It has also joined two multinational military exercises respectively in Mongolia and Bangladesh, since peace was established in the kingdom in 1997.

Cambodia sends off third batch of UN peacekeeping deminers to Sudan

PHNOM PENH, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia sent off its third batch of deminers here Sunday at the Pochentong Air Base to take part in the UN peacekeeping missions in Sudan.

"Today's send-off is evidence of the willingness of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Cambodian people to provide essential security and support to those in conflict," said Douglas Broderick, UN resident coordinator in the kingdom.

The third batch consists of 139 staff members, 15 of whom had left on June 2 for camping work, said a military press release.

Ke Kim Yan, Commander in Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), told the send-off ceremony that Cambodia has participated in "the UN peacekeeping operation on humanitarian mine clearance in Sudan for the third consecutive year."

So far, Cambodian deminers have cleared 57,542,488 square meters of areas in Sudan, he added.

RCAF Lt. Gen. Sem Sovanny said that the third batch of deminers will replace the second one, who will return from Sudan to Cambodia Tuesday.

Along with consistent economic growth, Cambodia has also been seeking to enlarge its international military presence. It has joined two multinational military exercises respectively in Mongolia and Bangladesh, since peace was established in the kingdom in 1997.