PHNOM PENH, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United States will stop funding the clearance of war-left unexploded ordnances (UXOs) in Cambodia from January 2018, Heng Ratana, director-general of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), said here late Monday.
The United States has been supplying CMAC with 2.5 million U.S. dollars per annum through their partner NGO Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) to clear UXOs in Eastern Cambodia.
"I have received a confirmation letter from the Project Partner NPA...stating that the U.S. is going to cease funding for ERW (explosive remnants of war) clearance project in the Eastern part of Cambodia from the beginning of January 2018," Ratana wrote on his Facebook.
"It's very disappointed and sad news for this short notice of this termination with no proper justifications," he said.
It is estimated that, between 1965 and 1973, the United States dropped about 2.7 million tons of explosives, including Mk family bombs, cluster munitions and chemical weapons, in Cambodia, Ratana said.
He added that the U.S. UXOs continue to pose serious threats to the Cambodian people and the United States must take full responsibility.
According to Ratana, the U.S. aid cut would not affect the ongoing UXO clearance operation because the Cambodian government and another development partner would continue to fund the project.
There is no immediate response from the U.S. embassy to Cambodia on the matter.
The relations between Cambodia and the United States became strained in recent months after the Cambodian government accused the U.S. of secretly supporting Kem Sokha, jailed president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, to oust the government through a so-called color revolution.
The United States denied the allegation.
