On November 24, 2024, survivors, de-miners, and hundreds of others gathered at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat to participate in a march against landmines, following the US decision to send anti-personnel mines to Ukraine. The 4-kilometer march, led by landmine victims and de-miners, called for a “mine-free world” as participants chanted throughout the walk around the temple complex. The march comes just before a major anti-landmine conference set to convene in Siem Reap, where delegates will assess the progress of the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty, which both Russia and the US have not signed.

The announcement by Washington to send anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine has drawn criticism from human rights groups, with landmine survivors in Cambodia expressing concern over the potential for more casualties. Cambodia, still dealing with the aftermath of decades of civil war, remains one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. The conference and march highlight the ongoing threat posed by landmines, with over 20,000 deaths attributed to unexploded ordnance since the war's end. Participants, including former British Army officer Chris Moon, who lost limbs while clearing landmines, condemned the use of such weapons, calling them a long-term threat to civilian populations.

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