Land Mine Awareness Education in Cambodia (Initially published on the GENIE website) |
Land Mine Awareness Education
materials developed by Tim Grant
* Click on images for more
detail |
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Do Not Touch Mines design No.1
This is the front of the T-shirt designed by Tim for the Mine Awareness
Training Team (MATT). The design was inspired by the many Hindu images that
adorn the Angkor Wat temple complex. While most of the people in Cambodia
are Buddhist, the Hindu images are respected. This shirt attempted to improve
peoples unsafe practices in the name of fate and kharma. This shirt was
printed in the hundreds of thousands and distributed throughout the affected
villages. |
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Do Not Touch Mines poster
This poster was designed to be very graphic and hard hitting. I gave the
MATT artist several human anatomy books to make sure he got it as technically
correct as possible. These posters were framed and nailed up in all the
villages schools, temples and/or community buildings. |
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CMAC poster
Tim designed this poster for the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) mine
awareness programme. The images were drawn by an American artist and scanned
into Corel Draw 5, where Tim added the color and words. The messages given
are
1. Do not touch mines.
2. Stay on the safe path.
3. Ask the local people for the safe path.
4. Do not take the mines signs from the minefield.
5. Mark a mine location with crossed sticks.
6. Report all mine locations to authorities. |
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Fate, Karma& Magic Poster
This is a MATT poster attempting to encourage safe practises around the
traditional beliefs.
1. Fate -People here believe that their life is predestined and if they
are to be an amputee, then so be it. MATT encouraged them to realise it
is their responsibility to take care of their body.
2. Amulets - People are encouraged not to rely on amulets and tattoos to
protect them from mines.
3.Karma - People are encouraged not to believe they will/have become a mine
victim because of karma. But its their present actions, which they have
control over, not past actions that destine their lives. |
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Newspaper insert
This is another Do Not Touch design Tim produced, using Hindu images. It
was published in the Phnom Penh Post newspaper during a media campaign targetting
the workers of the Non-government and UN agencies working in Cambodia. |
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How to Avoid Mines Game
This game was designed by Mr. Grant when he was working with the Land Mine
Awareness Programme (LMAP), on the Thai/Cambodian border, in 1991. It was
based on snakes & ladders, printed in the hundreds of thousands and
distributed throughout all the refugee camps along the border. The Khmer
staff took the games around to the huts and explained how to play the game
and the meaning of the messages. This game is still being used by the MATT
teams in Cambodia, rewarding the village children with mine awareness t-shirts
as prizes. |
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Game No.2
This is a game called "Help Grandfather" made for MATT programme. It requires
the children to find the warning clues and warning signs in this cluttered
picture. Warning signs include :- skull & cross bone sign, crossed sticks,
plastic bag hanging from the tree and a snapped branch. Warning clues included
fuses, exposed mine, mine wrappings and parts of mines. |
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Silk Screen No.1
This is a silk screen poster that was hung up around the media displays.
The image of a well-to-do Khmer woman was chosen to show that nobody is
immune. Cotton material was chosen above paper or other materials as it
was easy to roll up for transporting and because it needed to be cleaned
regularly. Paper has a limited life in this hot dusty and temporary environment. |
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Minefield procedures silk screen
This LMAP screen teaches people the correct procedures to follow when they
see a mine or find themselves in a minefield.
1. Stop walking and tell everyone around that you have seen a mine.
2. Retrace your footsteps all the way back to a known safe area/path (practical
exercises in retracing are always given in classes).
3. Mark the location with crossed sticks or whatever the local marking system
is. They are reminded not to go off the safe area to collect marking materials.
4. Report the location of the mine to the local authorities. |
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Travelling procedures silk screen
Another LMAP silk screen which goes through the procedures for travelling
in unknown areas.
1. Always ask the local people for the safe paths.
2. Stay on the safe path.
3. Make sure you take special care with your children.
4. Mines can be found almost anywhere. |
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Travelling procedures DETAIL
A detail of the above silk screen. |
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Above ground mine silk screen
One of the set of 7 silk screens produced by LMAP, and later adapted for
MATT in Cambodia. These are illustrations of the 6 most commonly found above
ground mines in Cambodia. Some of these mines can be laid below ground as
well, but they are placed in the above ground mine category so that people
will be aware of what they may see. |
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Underground mine silk screen
This is a screen made for the LMAP programme, and still used by MATT in
Cambodia. These are illustrations of the 6 most commonly found mines in
Cambodia. Teachers explain that mines can be found in many different sizes,
shapes, colors, and can be made of many different materials, such as wood,
metal and plastic. |
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Materials testing
This photograph was taken out the front of the MATT office in Battambang
Cambodia. It was at the very start of the program and the paintings were
being displayed publicly to gauge the peoples reaction to them. Later the
paintings were tested further and then used to decorate the teaching location.
The man pictured was the office guard, Thy, who later became a vital asset
to the program as our framer and woodworker. |
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Mine Awareness bag
A group of primary school students display their LMAP mine awareness bags
in a Khmer Rouge camp school. These bags were useful as schools bags but
were also a good size for carrying the weekly rice ration back to their
huts. |
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The mobile information display
The LMAP mobile mine awareness information displays were usually set up
at the rice ration distribution locations. They were also used during the
'raffle' for broadcasting the prize question and answer sessions. The displays
included displays of mine awareness posters, mine model cases, other attractive
traditional images, music/radio plays, etc. |
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Mine Photo No.1
This is one of a set of 4 photographs that Tim took and had printed in large
quantities. These were used by the LMAP Teachers and passed around in class
for people to get a close look. The set included photographs of
1. A mine victim (pictured here)
2. An underground mine.
3. An above ground mine.
4. An unexploded ordnance (UXO). |
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Raffle Clowns
This picture is one of the many media events staged in the refugee camps
on the Thai/Cambodian border. 'Ting Mong' the traditional clowns, were used
to attract attention so you could give out our numbered brochures. We can
see the turmoil in the background as staff are besieged by children trying
to get a brochure. |
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Raffle crowd
This is part of the crowd that turned up for the lucky number draws and
prize give outs. They are students from a secondary school in Site 2 refugee
camp. |
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LMAP Mine Awareness Class
This is a Site B refugee camp woman being instructed on how to prod in a
minefield. The people are taught that they can only use this technique when
rescuing someone from a minefield or getting themselves out of a minefield.
Many injuries and deaths are caused by people running in to rescue a friend
or relative who has been injured. They must be very careful, because where
is there one mine there are generally more. Note, notice that we used tin
cans to represent mines, so that none of the teachers would be seen touching
mines (or even wooden mine models). Since this picture was taken the people
are now taught to prod with a long blade knife (and not the hoe pictured
here), because its easier to control. |
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MATT Mine Awareness Class
This is one of the MATT Village Representatives conducting a training session
in a frontline Cambodian village. |
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MATT Teacher
This MATT Teacher is using the silk screens to give a lesson on 'Minefield
Procedures'. He is pictured using an exposed mine model to demonstrate to
the people how an underground mine is set off. |
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Prodding lesson
This image is of one of the mine awareness teacher teaching a group of adult
villagers (it is suppose to be strictly only adults, but some children always
sneak in) how to prod to get themselves out of a minefield or to enter a
minefield if they need to rescue someone. The teachers stresses that they
must prod a full path, so they can walk safely when they are carrying a
victim out of a minefield. The prodder has to be held at a 30 degree angle
and 3-5cm deep probes are made at 2 finger joints apart, along lines which
are also at 2 finger joints apart (this is so they don't miss the smallest
mine found in Cambodia, which is approx. 5.6 cm in diameter). |
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Wooden Mines Display
This is a picture of one of the display cases displaying the wooden models
of underground mines. As well as showing the mine identification, you will
notice that the case is enclosed with plastic, this is to promote the message
of DO NOT TOUCH MINES. The photograph was taken in one of the refugee camps
during a media event. |
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Bucket of Bomb
This photograph was taken at the Thai Border Police station, of mines that
have been found within Thai territory. Because LMAP was located inside of
Thailand they didn't have access to 'real' mines. These mines were measured
and used for the production of our wooden mine models. |
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The Welcome Rock
This rock that features the image used for the 'Ask the Local People for
the Safe Path' message. The rock was painted by the LMAP/MATT Khmer artist
and stood in the doorway of the LMAP media office in Site 2 Refugee camp,
1991. |
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Mine Display No.1
This is a warning clues board, which features the photograph of the hospital
drain (Land Mine Warning Clues 2) below. The warning clues include parts
of exploded mines, the internal workings of some mines, discarded caps (these
caps fit over the slot before a detonator is inserted), detonator wrappings,
pins/clips (these are extracted from mine when making it active) shrapnel,
fuses and a stake from an above ground mine. These boards are used by MATT
in their presentation. |
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Mine Display No.2
An exposed mine model, used as teaching equipment and as warning clues display.
Consists of the top part of a mine stuck down with a mixture of sand and
glue. |
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Mine Display No.3
This is the only 'real' mine that Tim ever displayed, because if the people,
especially children, see the teachers handling mines in a casual manner,
they may get the wrong message. The most important message in a mine awareness
campaign is DO NOT TOUCH MINES OR UXOS. Because the 72 Beta mine is particularly
dangerous he felt close identification was necessary (the teachers were
instructed to not allow people to touch the plastic covered case). This
mine is fitted with an anti-handling device which causes it to explode with
a slight 10-15 degree tilt. To make matters worse the 72 Alpha mine, which
does not have the anti-handling device, looks almost identical. |
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Mine in Situ
This photograph was taken in Battambang province, Cambodia in a drain on
the edge of a deserted hospital. There are 3 types of warning clues in this
picture that could show people they are in a mined area. This photo is displayed
as part of the Mine Awareness Training Team (MATT) informal media campaign. |
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Mine in Situ (Labelled)
The same photo as above with labels showing the location of all the warning
clues. Warning clues consist of pieces of exploded mines, a burnt live mine
and a partly exposed mine (this would have been due to rain and water washing
the top soil off). |
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Mine Victim No.1
This is a picture of the 16 years old monk, who just had his leg blown off.
He was on his way back from a wedding ceremony , walking on a path that
they used everyday, when he stood on a mine. The hospital is in Kompong
Speu, a town about 2 hours drive from the capital Phnom Penh. Tim Grant
took this picture during a minefield tour with delegates from the Cambodian
Conference in June 1995. The page he is holding is a leaflet produced by
the American Red Cross and features a photo of the victim. |
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Mine Victim No.2
A reminder of the purpose of mine awareness. |
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Leaflet 1 Front
This leaflet was produced in response to an army offensive which resulted
in thousands of people fleeing their homes. It was feared that many of the
internally displaced people could stand on mines, because their once safe
villages were now quite likely mined. The messages that were covered were
Do not touch, stay on the safe path, do not take down mine signs/tapes and
report the location of mines/UXOs the deminers. (English Version) |
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Leaflet 1 Inside
This leaflet was produced in response to an army offensive which resulted
in thousands of people fleeing their homes. It was feared that many of the
internally displaced people could stand on mines, because their once safe
villages were now quite likely mined. The messages that were covered were
Do not touch, stay on the safe path, do not take down mine signs/tapes and
report the location of mines/UXOs the deminers. (English Version) |
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Leaflet1
These materials were viewed as a way of reaching those people we missed
with the formal lectures. The leaflets were made as full A4 sheets printed
on one side with mine identification illustrations and were handed out along
with the brochures at the end of a lesson or whenever the occasion arose.
All the most common mines & ordnance were represented and divided into
3 groups - above ground mines, below ground mines and Unexploded Ordnance. |