Siem Reap: An Iraqi activist and landmine survivor, Ms. Wurood Talib, shared her poignant personal experiences today in Siem Reap province, where she emphasized the urgent need to eliminate landmines globally. Her remarks were part of the opening ceremony of the 5th Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, also known as the Siem Reap-Angkor Summit on a Mine-Free World.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Ms. Talib, who represents the Iraqi Disabled Persons Union and survivors of landmine and war remnants, expressed her honor in attending the summit in Cambodia. She not only shared her personal narrative but also represented the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), a global initiative comprising civil society organizations that originated in Cambodia. Ms. Talib highlighted the critical role of Cambodia in the global campaign, noting that the devastating landmine contamination led NGOs to launch the campaign in 1992, culminating in the adoption of the treaty five years later.

Ms. Talib acknowled
ged the relentless efforts of Cambodian survivor advocates, such as Mr. Tun Channareth, who are part of a global partnership involving tens of thousands of campaigners from over sixty countries. She emphasized how these advocates have turned their personal challenges into opportunities for positive change, inspiring her and other survivors to follow suit.

In her speech, Ms. Talib commended Cambodia’s transition from a nation severely affected by mine contamination to a model of national ownership in mine action and a global leader in the convention. She stressed that this transformation serves as an inspiration to the international community, and the ICBL deeply values its partnership with Cambodia.