Chanthon's Story

CHHORN CHANTHON is the newest member of the CPI team. He is our on the ground representative in Cambodia and works with our partner Cambodian Volunteers for Community Development. He recently sent me his bio for our website. Before reading his bio I did not know he was a scrap metal collector who would risk his life to collect unexploded ordnance for pocket change.

I have decided to post it here before editing and adding it to our staff page. I think posting this unedited is more true to the nature of a blog posting...

Thank you Chanthon!!

CHHORN CHANTHON
Group 3, Beoung Salang village, Russey Keo Commune,
Russey Keo District, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.


People, especially children go to the forest or former military bases to find scrap mine or UXO to sell to a middle salesman. The purchase price for scrap metal is very low - around 500 Riel to 700 Riel (US$ 0.125 to US$0.175) per kilo. People are using metal detectors to search for bomb scrap, and mine, which are usually, buy and sold.


Buying and Selling Mines /UXO�s to sell for scrap metal is a major problem in Cambodia, especially in areas located along the border between Cambodia and Thailand.

I was born in 1980, in Prey Veng province. I have four brothers, and I am the oldest in the family. When I was seven years old my second brother and I lived with my grandparent in Preck Loung district, Kandal province, from 1960 to 1975 this district was strongly fighting by Vietnam War, and in 1970 to 1975 re-fighting again by rebellion against Lon Nol and rice of Khmer rouge. Even though I didn�t experience with all this war but I understood what is the meaning of war? What is the benefit of war? Wars are very dangerous and very pity to the people; Moving of members in family to live with another one or any where because the poorness, losing the member or whole member in the family by death, with the country that effected by war so long time, its is very hard to develop because the people no knowledge, no school, their opinion or brain keep with darkness picture, afraid of everything. It is the reason that my parent moved my second brother and I from my family to live with my grand parent. Scrap mental was my problem, everyday when I came back from the school at 11 am or on my vacation, I was a cowboy, when all of the cows went into the forest I started eating lunch with another cowboys, and relaxed 30 minutes or less, before we went into the forest to find some kinds of UXO to sell for scrap mental, if it was my holiday I always stay full day in the forest. I need to save some money for my second brother and I to school, I saw exploding of UXO everyday, because we try to explodes it for collect the crap mental and sold. In that time I never think, how was my future life? UXO was my parent because, if I didn�t have UXO support my second brother and I hadn�t money to buy school materials another supporting. A lot of my friend�s death because of when they were tries finding UXO to sale with me. Until now, I am very afraid of all kind of weapons mine, UXO, and gun. I don�t like all the political party or the king; they killed my friends and my relative, they made the war.

In 1990, my second brother and I moved to live with my parent at Phnom Penh, but I used the same business and planted some kinds of vegetable for sell to support my parents benefits. 1997 I was a volunteer for Hope World Wide, raised up living condition, encouraged of the people transmitted by HIV/AIDS, announced of bad effective problem by HIV/AIDS. In 1999 I passed the scholarship to study at Banana center two year an in skill of Information Technology (Computer skills) and in that time I was a volunteer in the position of a computer trainer for SANFRAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER. In year 2002 I saved some money from the computer teaching fee and continue to study at VANDA INSTITUTE in skill of financial accounting (Audit is the best skill that I like, love, I hope one day in the future I will have some money to continue), but unfortunately I studied in first year and second semester only I decided to stop myself because no money and someone support me. Mach, 2002, I was a volunteer for Cambodian Volunteers for Community Development (CVCD) my position was an assistant of English and Computer and also the computer trainer in full time. In August 2004, I passed the test to work for Clear Path International Project.