Fed

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2001
Fed:: Call for donations for landmine removal

World Vision is urging Australians to help raise $800,000 to help remove landmines from Cambodia.

Olympic gold medallist LAUREN BURNS has called for Australians to do their part for
the World Vision Destroy-A-Mine campaign by taking part in the 40-Hour Famine on May 18.

The Federal Government has pledged $1 for every $2 raised during the fundraiser for
landmine removal and education.

Ms BURNS -- who won gold in taekwondo at the Sydney Olympics -- visited Cambodia last
month, seeing the effects of an estimated five million mines on the country.

She says the main thing that struck her was seeing how close people live to minefields
or on minefields.

Ms BURNS and landmine survivor SOKHEURM (SOKHEURM) MAN, 18, whose right lower leg was
blown off five years ago, helped students pop 167 balloons.

Each balloon represented a person killed by mines in Cambodia last year.

SOKHEURM says his injury and the death of a friend prompted him to speak out.

AAP RTV ac/gfr/jtb/mjm

KEYWORD: LANDMINES (MELBOURNE)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.