AKP, September 28, 2017 –Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has ordered the National Committee for Chemical Weapons to remove and destroy the two U.S. chemical bombs discovered in Svay Rieng province.
“For the safety of our people, we can’t wait for the U.S. to collect their bombs back as it won’t do so,” said the Cambodian premier while presiding over a graduation ceremony here this morning.
According to Samdech Techo Hun Sen, thousands of local families will be evacuated and a special budget of the royal government will be used for the destruction of these two bombs.
“This is the war’s legacy, we need to solve it,” stressed Samdech Techo Prime Minister.
Yesterday, Samdech Techo Hun Sen appealed to the U.S. to collect its chemical bombs from Cambodia, not just its soldiers’ remains and debts.
He also suggested that the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) invites the U.S. ambassador to visit the U.S. chemical bomb sites in Svay Rieng province.
According to CMAC, these two bombs contained dangerous chemical substances. These bombs were reported by citizens as having been dropped by the U.S. during the war in 1970. These were believed that they are a type of chemical bomb placed in 220-liter tanks containing chemical substances and explosives. The chemicals cause suffocation, prematurely born babies and watering of the eyes.
These two bombs were discovered in a primary school and a pagoda in Svay Rieng province’s Romeas Hek district. These types of bomb have been found in many provinces including Svay Rieng, Prey Veng, Mondulkiri, Rattanakiri and Kratie.
It is believed that the U.S. dropped some two million bombs of 800,000 tons on Cambodia from 1963 to 1975.
By Khan Sophirom
