United Nations Page
Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called gods son's
Matthew 5:9
UNFICYP
United Nations Forces In Cyprus
UNTAC
United Nations Transitional Authority Cambodia
Cambodia
On Cambodia's 181,035 sq. kms. live almost 10.7 million people (1996), whose economic
poverty, in terms of per capita GNP, is the worst in Southeast Asia at US$190/year (1994).
Yet the country's natural resource wealth is considerable. Much of it is made up of fertile
plains with abundant rainfall. It also has deposits of phosphate, iron ore and limestone, as
yet unexploited, and petroleum, whose potential is now being explored. Its forest wealth is
considerable, and there are rich veins of gemstones. But there is very little manufacturing,
apart from rubber, agricultural processing, and now some garment making. Agriculture,
mainly subsistence farming, therefore, employs three quarters of the workforce, but the
proliferation of minefields (9 million landmines still lie buried) means that thousands flock to
towns, along with many more who go there because farming reaps such poor returns for
many families.
Cambodia has been at war, mainly with itself, since the 1960s, causing extreme social
economic and political dislocation, and psychological and physical trauma for vast numbers
of people. In 1991, the Paris Agreement set up UNTAC (United Nations Transitional Authority) to try to end the civil war, and
establish democracy. Yet the low intensity war by the Khmer Rouge, under whose rule from 1975 and 1979 up to 2 million people
died, continues (though may now be ending), the ruling coalition is deeply divided and the government is becoming increasingly
authoritarian.
Cambodia remains one of the world's poorest countries, with 64% of its people lacking access to safe water, 86% lacking access to
adequate sanitation, 40% of its under-5s suffering from moderate to severe underweight, and only 50% of children enrolling in
primary school reaching grade 5 (figures 1990-95/96).
Our first home
Ankor Wat an amazing place
Building bridges we had to to get through
One of our vehicles see the orange kangaroo on front
Me in Russian MI-17 Helicopter, bloody scary to fly in.
Local Thmar Pouk kids at play beside the road
Street Kids in Phnom Penh
A street in the village of Thmar Pouk
The sights and smells of Cambodia
Aussie fare in the MI-17 Joe Cool or what?
The Patrol Track it got wetter than that!
Street scene Phnom Penh
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