Starting last February, an UNTAC team from New Zealand has trained 96 Cambodians

in land mine clearance techniques.

"Our purpose of course is to train Cambodians to clear land mines themselves,"

said Capt. Morrison of the New Zealand unit. Rather than doing the demining themselves,

Morrison said the New Zealanders hope to leave Cambodians with the skills necessary

to clear land mines after the UNTAC forces leave the country.

The 3 million mines that still litter the countryside will be a threat to the rural

population for decades. Thus far, UNTAC-trained personnel have removed about 25,000

mines. In Siem Reap alone, where the New Zealanders teach mine clearance, they have

collected 4,250 anti-personnel mines, 8 anti-tank mines, and destroyed 693 mines

and 564 rounds of unexploded ordinance.

According to UNTAC, as of Nov. 14, a total of 1,162 Cambodians nationwide have been

trained in mine clearance techniques, of which 149 were from the ANKI, 876 from the

CPAF, 96 from KPNLF and 41 from the NADK.