For this man to be alive today is nothing short of a miracle. Aki Ra is trying to do the right thing by cleaning up the landmines that are still a threat to Cambodians. I think you can see genuine sadness as he reflects on the destruction the mines he placed have caused. Video is courtesy of Independent Film Director Trent Harris.
The Khmer Rouge had him laying down landmines at 5 years old. He was forced into this line of work by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge who were some of the most evil people ever to rule a country when they ran Cambodia in the 1970’s and 80’s. They killed Aki Ra’s parents and he was conscripted into their army at the age of 5. Think about that for a minute. He did this for about 25 years until the U.N. finally helped to establish some sense of normalcy in Cambodia in the 1990’s at which point he began to remove the landmines. If you missed the first video go here to watch it.
