National Mine Center to handle Mine clearing in the North

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National Mine Center to handle Mine clearing in the North


Friday, 16 July 2010
The Government of Sri Lanka is now implementing a humanitarian de-mining programme with a target of achieving mine threat free Sri Lanka by end of 2020. The government yesterday decided to set up a National Mine Action Centre to coordinate and fast tract the de- mining process.The Government coordinates and manages the de-mining programme, through the Ministry of Economic Development with the mine action operators, Donor Agencies and UN organizations.
Presidential Task Force for Resettlement, Development and Security inthe Northern Province acts as the decision making body on Northernprogramme through a temporary unit in collaboration with respectiveGovernment Agents. In this exercise, UNDP and UNICEF providedtechnical assistance to the Government to implement and coordinate thedemining programme. Over 26 years of armed conflict, land mines, unexploded ordinances( UXOs) and improvised explosives devices (IEDs) which have been laidby the terrorists constituted a significant impediment to resettlementand development activities of the conflict affected areas.Over 640 villages had been affected by these mines and it is estimatedthat about 1.5 Million mines have been laid underground.Out of thisonly 266,123 mines and UXOs have been cleared up-to- date. Over 4500squire kilo meters in particular in the Northern Province have beenlaid suspected as contaminated with mines and explosive remnants ofwar ( ERW). Of which 1, 474 of squire kilo meters have been clearedso far.