After fleeing fighting, Cambodian woman fears giving birth in border camp
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Pregnant Cambodian national Suang Sreang, who is due to give birth within days, at a refugee camp in Banteay Meanchey province on Dec 13.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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OU CHROV DISTRICT, Cambodia – At nine months pregnant, 27-year-old Suang Sreang fears she will have to give birth in a rudimentary displacement camp after fleeing fighting between Cambodian and Thai troops
The Cambodian national is among tens of thousands of civilians on both sides who have fled their homes since clashes erupted on Dec 8, in the most intense fighting since a five-day clash in July.
“When the fighting started, I put my difficulties aside and took my children and ran away fast,” said the mother of three from Ou Beichoan commune, which borders Sakeo province in Thailand.
“My priority was to save myself, my children’s lives. I can think of getting other things later,” she said, adding that she had left all the things she had to prepare for the new baby at home.
Cambodia and Thailand have exchanged heavy-weapons fire at multiple points along their 817km-long border. Hostilities spread over the weekend to the coast, with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowing to keep fighting “until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people”.
Ms Suang Sreang, 27, is among tens of thousands of civilians on both sides who have fled their homes since clashes erupted on Dec 8.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Cambodia has set up more than 100 evacuation centres across six provinces, housing around 130,000 people, but the scale and speed of the displacement has created shortages of food, shelter, drinking water and sanitation facilities
“The private company, all the charity people all sacrificed to come to our displaced people, our refugees,” said Mr Mean Chanyada, the governor of Oddar Meanchey province, where some of the camps are located.
“And hope that one day the problem will be solved. We need peace.”
From the hot and crowded camp where she and her family are sheltering under a tarpaulin, Ms Suang Sreang said she could hear the sound of fighting when she closed her eyes.
She said: “Everyone keeps running to different places, so I really don’t know where to go to deliver this baby.
“I fear that I may have to deliver the baby here in the tent.” REUTERS
