seeds ol denio-

I cracy have already 1 been sown in Cambodia but have yet to blossom.' says a 25-year-old intellectual. One good indication is that rural life in this country, re- ‘ duced to bare subsistence as a result of war, massacres, political Isolation and socialist bu reaucracy. is returning to a semblance of normalcy.

But that is only one facet as land mines ^nd the unrelenting spread of diseases, including tuberculosis and stubborn strains of malaria, continue to make parts of Cambodia a 'killing field.'

The presence of land mines, concentrated heavily in northeastern provinces, has already given Cambodia the ■ gruesome distinction of having the world s highest proportion of amputees: one out of every 258 people has been maimed.

The land mines, according to Cambodian health officials, continue to claim more than 300 victims per month. In addition, the mines relegate thousands of hectares of potentially productive farm land to "no go" areas, resulting in Cambodia's being a food deficit country.

The number of land mines now laid in the country is between six and 10 million, representing roughly seven to 11 per cent of the estimated uncleared mines worldwide.

"De-mining is an essential priority for Cambodia's rehabilitation." points out Rajeev Pillay, former deputy resident representative of the United Nations . Development Programme (UNDP) in Cambodia. "Rural development in many areas will be impossi ble without it."

This must be the reason why UNDP established last

year a trust fund to support the Cambodia Mine Action Centre, the main institution in the country responsible for addressing the problem.

The Centre itself was created in mid-1992 and was fully financed by the United Nations . Transition Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) during its first year of operation, with a mandate to Implement a/id coordinate de-mining efforts in Cambodia.

But even before its supported the Cambodian Mine Action Centre. UNDP was already involved in de-mining activities in the country, through its assistance to rural development activities. UNDP employed the services of the Norwegian People's Aid. a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that started working in 1992 on de-mining programmes in Cambodia.

The Norwegian People's Aid de-mining programme was largedly undertaken in Banteay Meanchey and Battambang provinces. The programme has managed to clear more than 285.000 square metres of land, and destroy approximately 1.000 anti-personnel mines.

From a public health perspective. communicable diseases pose the greatest threat. The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) estimates some • 13.000 Cambodians die of tuberculosis every year. Malaria snatches 5.000 to 10.000 lives annually while polio cripples another 1.000 Cambodians each year.

'This is not surprising considering that only two to three per cent of the country's popu-

lation has been immunized and only about 50 per cent has access to basts health services." says UNDP report.

Wet only 5.6 per cent of the Rational budget was appropriated to health care in 1994. In spite of a peace agreement, the Cambodian government will still spend over 18 per cent of its current budget for defence due to the ongoing civil strife.

The failure of the public health care system is but one indication of a more general breakdown in the government's ability to deliver even a minimum of social services. *

Indeed, building up the country's beleaguered cadre of human resources is essential if long-term progress is to be achieved. In this aspect. UNDP's TOKTEN programme is miking a great contribution.

TOKTEN. which stands for Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals, brings back Cambodian professionals to serve as consultants. Most of Cambodia’s best qualified antf trained professionals have been fleeing the country over the past 20 years to escape civil war and find better opportunities.

TTiis exodus of educated Cambodians adversely affected agricultural yields, health services. education facilities, water supply systems, transport and communication facilities, and overall management capa-

bilities. as indeed every aspect of national life." reports the UNDP, which reopened its office in Phnom Penh in October 1990 after a 15-years absence

Through its TOKEN programme. UNDP covers the round-trip airfare of' shortterm consultants, and a daily subsistence allowance. Since 1992, the government ol Cambodia has made extensive use of nearly 70 expatriate Cambodian TOKTEN consultants in the agriculture, education. econdmic reform and management, and health fields "1 become involved, committed and decided to stay on," Chenda Sok, who left Cambodia at age 18 to study In France, where he settled for many years. "I feel I can make a difference."'

In particular, he believes that the country has great potential as a tourist destination. Because of this, he is now working as under-secretary of state in the Ministry ol Tourism. He hopes to contribute his knowledge of international tourism marketing tc Cambodia's development.

Another UNDP programme that's making an impact in Cambodia is the Cambodia Resettlement and ■Reintegration Programme . (CARERE). It is co-sponsored by the Unfted Nations High Commissioner for Refugee: (UNHCR)).

"Through this programme,

more than 170 schools have been constructed. 2.000 wells dug. and 50 kilometres of irrigation canals restored in three northwestern provinces which have the highest percentage of returnees.

As part of urgent need to bring civil stability in Cambodia, UNDP collaborates with the UN International Labour Organization (1LO) in supporting small-scale entrepreneurs through credit and training.

.The programmes are targeting former soldiers in addition to women, who make up almost two-thirds of Cambodia's population and head one-third of all hbusehold.

Meanwhile. International assistance is flooding in. But

there are serious gaps In the aid flow, observes UNDP resident representative In Cambodia Edouard Wattez.

"Not enough is going to rural areas, and the health sector is clearly not sufficiently covered. he says.

He warns: "If aid doesn't reach the Cambodian people, there will be no political stabll Ity."

Because of this, the Executive Board of UNDP and the United Nations Population Fund (UNDP) authorized the UNDP administrator recently to commit an additional US$12 million to Cambodia tc help expedite the approval ol programmes and projects in the country.

This advance allocation brings UNDP's commitment tc Cambodia to a total of US$65.4 million for a ’ period of five years (1992-1996).

— Depthnews Asia