Aki Ra's Landmine Museum

Can any armament used in conflict be so immoral as the landmine? Soldiers fight soliders - but landmines continue to maim and kill civilians decades after they were laid down.  In Cambodia one of the unfortunate legacies of the 1970s was the carpeting of literally millions of landmines - by the USA, by China and by Vietnam - each trying to blanket Cambodia in order to create for themselves regional security. Cambodia still pays the price.

Aki Ras' landmine museum is a memorial to this sad chapter of human history. The museum is free, though donations are encouraged and souvenirs (books, t-shirts and posters) are also for sale and enable visitors to give money that will help make a difference to local efforts in detecting and defusing landmines that are still live.

Authorities inexplicably ordered Aki Ra to take down signage for the museum (presumably they want a more positive image for tourists) but everyone knows where it is. Just ask a tuk tuk driver. Visitors find the experience quite moving and sad: truly a moment to reflect on humanity. Who made these awful devices? Who ordered their use? This is a well recommended very salutary place to visit: an apposite moment in contrast to the glories of Angkor.