Meet Aki Ra. Aki Ra doesn’t know how old he is nor does he know his real birth name, and he doesn’t recall too much from his childhood. But Aki Ra remembers his life from when he was 10 years old. He was presented with a gun by the Khmer Rouge and enlisted to fight in Cambodia’s brutal and bloody war. He evaded death and injury for years; initially fighting for the Khmer Rouge before switching sides to combat the Khmer Rouge by joining the Vietnamese army shortly after their invasion of Cambodia in 1978.
A Life Shaped by War
Aki Ra’s life has been enveloped by war. After his parents were murdered by the Khmer Rouge he was ‘educated’ by Khmer soldiers who indoctrinated him and introduced him to the mechanics of battle engagement.
Today Aki (a Japanese name as his own is unknown) operates a small but emotionally charged museum 25 kilometers from Siem Reap here in Cambodia. He still dedicates his life to war, but instead of killing he tries to heal, repair and reconcile.
Aki Ra Started Illegally Clearing the Mines
One day in 1995 a family who were collecting rice near their home were killed by an anti-tank mine. The only survivor was a baby who was enveloped by his mother’s embrace. Aki Ra began illegally clearing entire villages of landmines, many thousands of which were laid by his own hands. Just a metal detector and stick were used to locate and detonate these deadly destructive weapons.
As the years have passed Aki has saved the lives of hundreds, maybe thousends of people by cleansing their lands of these evil devices. The Cambodian Mine Action Centre estimates that 4 – 6 million mines still remain undetonated! The population of Cambodia is just 11.5 million
Aki’s museum showcases the destructive nature of landmines, but simultaneously offers hope, healing and inspiration. Towards the rear of the museum and off limits to tourists, Aki runs a children’s home, many of whom have been damaged by war; a war that ended before they were born, but is/has affected their lives now by undetected landmines. An amazing and emotional museum.
Aki Ra has been awarded several peace awards for his work.
I hope you enjoyed my article. Here’s a piece I compiled on the Khmer Rouge and Cambodia that might interest you. Click HERE for the article.