Artefacts Found in Nipeach Minefield
They'd been buried for many years, hidden in the ground away from danger, until they were found by Ling Phahn, a female deminer from one of MAG's Locality Demining Teams (currently funded by the Church World Service).
Whilst clearning land for resettlement and agriculture in her village, she came across the figurines of Buddha, Visnu (Preah Noreay) and Siva (Preah Eyso). It isn't the first time that one of MAG's teams has discovered some artefacts, and although this time the items were not of great value or national importance, they held a lot of sentimental value for one villager.
64 year old Nem Lang lives in Nipeach village and the figurines were owned by her late husband. As she talks about his death sorrow and sadness fill her voice. "I wish I could have helped him when he was ill, but there was no doctor in our village. He was the main breadwinner of our family and a good father to my children - I loved him a lot." They had five children, three of whom are now also, sadly deceased, and two now married. When asked whether she knew anything about the statues, she said that when her husband was alive these three figurines were put on the altar at their home and, every day before nightfall she used to light incense to worship and pray for peace and happiness. She had no idea where or why the statues had been buried. "When my husband became sick, I think these items had already been buried and I didn't ask him where he put them. I just forgot about them after he had died."
Vice-District Chief, Mr Say Seouth handing the statues back to Nem Lang
A handover ceremony was arranged in August and was conducted with a number of honourable guests from the local authorities, MAG and the local community. During the ceremony Vice-District Chief, Mr Say Seouth, expressed his appreciation of all the work MAG had done in the community. "The presence of MAG has not only made our land free of mines, but they also provide the opportunity for poor residents to be employed as deminers and improve their economic condition," he said.
The continued response of the locality team is badly needed in this community - the deminers provide security for villagers working in the field, safe in the knowledge that they are working in areas cleared by the teams.
Story and photograph by Pao Dara Rassmey, Project Officer
(August 2005)
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