カンボジア訪問（国境の村、タサエン地区）
先週、１４日（１２月１４日）からカンボジアを訪問。目的は、私の友人、高山良二（自衛隊当時の同期）が１０年前から不発弾と地雷処理に一命を賭し、滅私奉公している為、彼の活躍を直接この目で見て、何かお役にたてる事が出来たら、との思いからである。
関空から約６時間、タイのバンコク空港に着き、マイクロバスで約６時間、タイとカンボジアの国境着。国境の橋で高山が満面の笑みで迎えてくれた。
高山と小生と妻、国境越えと云う事で可成り緊張していたが、高山の顔もあって至極スムーズ。ただビザ取得にチップがいるとは驚いた。国境の川（上部がタイ、下部がカンボジア）
ビザを取得すると直ぐに高山の車で不発弾及び地雷処理の現場へ・・・。地雷処理に直接携わる高山の部下５名（現地人で給与は高山が代表を務めるＩＭＣＣＤから工面している）
当日午前中の作業で除去した不発弾と地雷。村人の情報提供により現場に急行し搬出、除去したとのこと。普段はこんなに一挙に出ることは無いらしい。
現場を後に高山の宿舎に向かう道路端の風景。 タサエン地区 （旧ポルポト軍の村、住民の大半がポルポト派で一家から一人はポルポト軍に所属していたと云う） の一般住宅。高床式で柱に板を張り付けただけの家。大半の家庭がこんなものである。
村内の商店。何故か４・５軒に１軒くらい駄菓子屋的商店がある。土間に机や椅子を並べ、適当に有るものを売っている感じ・・・。
タサエン地区に入ると同時に相当なカルチャーショク。原始時代にタイムスリップした感じであるが、村民の笑顔と礼儀正しさに、これってどういう事と言った感じ。
Last week, I visited Cambodia from December 14th (December 14th). My friend Ryoji Takayama (a fellow of the Self-Defense Forces at that time) has been risking his life to dispose of unexploded ordnance and land mines for 10 years.
It took about 6 hours from Kansai Airport to Bangkok Airport in Thailand, and about 6 hours by microbus to the border between Thailand and Cambodia. At the border bridge, Takayama greeted me with a broad smile.
Takayama, myself and my wife were nervous about crossing the border, but it was very smooth with Takayama’s face. However, I was surprised that a tip was required to get a visa. River at the border (Thailand at the top, Cambodia at the bottom)
As soon as I got my visa, I drove to the site of unexploded ordnance and mine disposal in the high mountains… Five of Takayama’s subordinates who are directly involved in mine disposal (they are locals and their salaries are paid by the IMCCCD, which Takayama represents)
Unexploded ordnance and mines removed by the work in the morning of the day. Upon receiving information from the villagers, they rushed to the site and removed the items. They don’t usually come out in such a hurry.
The roadside scene on the way to the dormitory in the high mountains after the site. An ordinary house in Tasaen district (former Pol Pot army village, most of the residents are Pol Potians and one family member was a member of the Pol Pot army). It is a house on stilts with only planks on the columns. The majority of families are like this.
shops in the village. For some reason, there is about one out of every four or five stores like a small candy store. It’s like putting desks and chairs on the earthen floor and selling what’s available…
As soon as we entered the Tasaen area, we had a considerable culture shock. It is a feeling that we have gone back in time to the primitive era, but the smiling faces and politeness of the villagers, this is what I said.
