The artist field visits begin: Tuesday 16 June

The first group of artists headed to Battambang on Tuesday 16 June. Battambang is known for its fertile soil, fragrant rice, and tasty fruit -- and for being the province most affected by landmines and ERW.

Chhim Sothy, Suos Sodavy, Meas Raksmey (the interpreter), and I met early in the morning to make the four-hour drive from Phnom Penh to Battambang, where we met Tor Vutha and Srey Bandol, who live there. Sasha Constable and Ben Thynal joined us from Siem Reap.

Tor Vutha and Srey Bandol kindly allowed us to use a meeting space at their workplace, Phare Ponleu Selpak, which is an academic and art school with around 2,000 students. Phare Ponleu Selpak "originated in 1986 in Site 2 Refugee Camp on the Thai border. The idea of a creative association, which would use art and expression to help young refugees overcome the trauma of war, emerged from drawing workshops held for children in the camps. This original idea continued after the refugees returned to their homeland, and PPS was formally founded in 1994 by a group of former Site 2 children."

We had our meeting in a breezy traditional wood building decorated with students’ artwork, and our discussions were accompanied by music from a band practicing for the circus school.




After introductions and a review of the purpose of the project, each of the artists shared a bit about their past experience with landmines and ERW. There were many moving accounts about friends or family who had suffered.

For example, Srey Bandol explained how he had to walk through fields of casualties in the 1980s, but he then affectionately recalled an uncle who liked to tease him with the prosthetic leg he had to use after a landmine accident.

Several of the artists also fondly spoke of playing with bombies and other ERW when they were young – they were aware of the danger but couldn't resist picking them up because of their toy-like appearance.

Chhim Sothy, who grew corn and tended fields in a war​zone, told everyone about a newlywed couple he knew. Soon after they married, the husband went off to battle and lost his leg in a landmine accident, which meant his pregnant wife had to shoulder the extra burden of supporting the family.

Hopefully, after the field visits, the artists will have new stories to tell about the progress being that's being made in addressing the mine and ERW problem in Cambodia.