Cambodian Minefields
Google Earth technology is being used by The HALO Trust to increase transparency in humanitarian landmine removal. The most affected areas are near the Thailand border where regular clashes occur and in Angola’s Cabinda province previously ravaged by civil war. Angelina Jolie, a steadfast supporter of HALO, has created tours of mine-affected areas that can be viewed in Google Earth software and take viewers to mine-affected areas in Cambodia and Angola.
Explore a Minefield demonstrates how mineclearance has enabled families to reclaim their homes, land to be used for agriculture, roads to be reopened, and kids to safely walk to school. In other words, mineclearance has enabled communities to flourish. Additionally, it displays to viewers any remaining minefields in villages that need to be cleared.
HALO uses Google Earth Pro in thirteen countries as part of a grant from Google Earth Outreach for minefield surveys, data validation, and the creation of maps for donors, governments, and other NGOs. HALO is able to provide time-lapse pictures that amply demonstrate how demining is assisting in the reconstruction of war-torn communities thanks to Google Earth's historical imagery. The Google Earth Outreach Developer Grant used to fund Explore a Minefield helped HALO achieve its goal of "getting mines out of the ground, now." This is definitely one of the most important Google Earth discoveries.
- Where: near Thailand
- Year of Discovery: N/A
