De-mining operations and Resettlement of IDPs

http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/?id=25066

De-mining operations and Resettlement of IDPs
7 Jun 2010 - 18:04
Despite the humanitarian operations conducted by the Sri Lankan Security Forces to eliminate the "Tigers" of Tamil Eelam in mid May 2009, there are many who have been impatient critics regarding what they see as undue delay to resettle the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Their concern is well understood but there seems to be another unseen agenda to call for the re-settlement of IDPs without realizing the arduous nature of the de-mining process which is required prior to resettling the IDPs in their former homesteads. The US Department of State gives a vivid description of the nature of "Mine Clearance" -" Given the enormity of the un-cleared land mine problem, it is obvious that there is no quick solution. Locating un-cleared mines is a labor intensive, slow, dangerous, Low- technology operation. Destruction of mines is even slower, more labor intensive and extremely dangerous. It is one of the grim ironies of landmines, that they are so easy to lay, and yet so difficult and dangerous to find and destroy " ( "Hidden Killers: The Global Problem with Uncleared Landmines" US Department of State ). The time to plant a mine against time taken to lift and disarm the mine is in the ratio of 1: 100. Much more time is required when land mines are laid haphazardly or 'sown" as the LTTE had done in the areas which they once controlled as in Killinochchi, Wanni Mullaitivu, Mannar etc . Estimates of the time reveal that one person can clear around 20 - 50 square meters per day but in Afghanistan it takes a year to clear 10 square kilometers and the cost of mine clearance including support and logistics costs is estimated to be around US$ 300 - US $ 1000 per mine while most anti personnel miens cost less than US $ 3. Mine clearance becomes more of a nightmare when there is no record or the number of mines laid ."Quite simply , de-mining is a business in which anything less than 100 % accuracy costs lives, and 100% is difficult to achieve ". (US State Department) .In these circumstances, "manual probing will continue to be the surest method and there is no "silver bullet" at the "present time or even in the horizon" . Such is the nature of mine clearing which many do not seem to or refuse to understand The Sri Lanka Army Engineers have over 1000 soldiers trained as de-miners. They are also supported by state of the art modern technology provided by Slovakia, Croatia, China, India, USA etc. There is also expertise provided by many organizations with many De-mining humanitarian Organizations as Horizon, HaloTrust MAG, FSD, DDG, SARVATRA. In the last few days clearing operations have recovered a massive quantity of Anti personnel mines and explosives devices . On 1.05.10, the Horizon de - mining Organization recovered a total of 148 anti personnel mines from Mahilankulam , Malwarayankadaiadanpan and Parasankulam area in the Wanni sector . Horizon also recovered another 102 anti personnel mines againthe next day from Mahilankualm , Malwarayankaaiadampan , Velarsikulam in the Wanni area while Army Troops recovered 12 anti personnel mines from Navathkulam . The MAG Organization recovered 15 anti personnel mines on 2.05.10. 298 anti personnel mines and 02 x unexploded ordnance were recovered from Mahilankulam, Narikkulam Malawarayankadaiaddampan and Velarsikulam areas on 3.05 .10 . On 5.5.10 a total of 228 Ant personnel miens were recovered from Sinnapandivirchchan , Preiyapandivircchan , Maukulam Marithamadhukulam , Illuppaikulam, Senakapanddaikakyankulam areas in the Wanni area. by Army Troops, Horizon, FSD, DDG, MAG and Sarwatra Organizations. The European Commission Ambassador and Head of delegation Mr Bernard Savage in its mine action strategy 2005 - 2007 set itself the strategic objective "to drastically reduce the lingering threat and impact of land mines in the context of increased local security and regional confidence. Mr Bernard Savage was reported in the "Sunday Island" (1st November 2009): "The European Commission has paid due tribute to the leadership which the government of Sri Lanka has shown with the adoption of a national strategy Mine Action in 2006 ...The accession of Sri Lanka to the Mine Ban Treaty as its 156th signatory would send a signal which would not go unheard around he world , especially not in Brussels ". The de-mining process has been expedited under the "Uthuru Vasanthaya" program to resettle the IDPs . In November, 2009 five de-mining MV -4 Flail Machines from the Republic of Croatia costing Rs 270 million were to begin work of clearing mines. These machines are designed to clear 5000 square meters per day instead of the 10 square meters if done manually. The Special Task Force had already cleared 27km stretch on the Omanthai - Welioya road stretch. Within the short period of five months a total of 26,734 anti-personnel mines , 26 land mines, 20 death tarps , 31 pressure bombs and a huge quantity of explosives devices were cleared . The STF were employed to clear Omanthai- Pannikanai road towards Puliyankulam . Accordingly, the villages of Alankulam, Navathkulam junction, Sinna Puliyankulam , Kovil junction , Pulliyankulam , Nedukerni along the Omanthe- Welioya were declared "safe areas'. The US Pacific Command donated personnel protectors equipment as vests and visors and de-mining equipment worth US $ 100,000 in addition to the US$ 6.6 million granted for de-mining work in the Northern province. The Government of India has also contributed heavily to accelerate the de-mining program. The UNHCR granted US$ 5 million to purchase 10 flailing machines for further acceleration of work. UNHCR Chief Guterres said " The prioritized area is 875 square kilometers and Army de-miners are taking every possible measure to complete it as soon as possible". The acceleration of de-mining is mainly in areas of Oddusuddan , Nedunkerni areas in Mallaitivu and Kokavil to Killinochchi on the A-9 road the B69 road from Pooneryn to Paranthan, A 35 from Mullaitivu to Paranthan and areas from Mannar to Manthai North are prioritized for the current de-mining program. Resettlement will beginning after. In Mannar area a total of 350 square kilometers completely de mined . The Sri Lanka Army also constructed 680 houses for IDPs and already 437 housing units were handed over to IDP families in April, with each house consisting of 224 square feet . The remaining houses will be ready anytime now. The Government has given all possible encouragement for accelerating de-mining operations. It considers this a critical humanitarian operation but the Government at the same time has to ensure that not one single mine is left behind. That is the final test of de-mining.