Army demining role recognized; US to allocate rs. 56 m to buy vehicles for them

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Army demining role recognized; US to allocate rs. 56 m to buy vehicles for them
Sri Lankan Army deminers, pioneers in the field of demining in the north and east are to receive a tremendous boost for their priceless work, following the US announcement that a decision to allocate Rs. 56 million ($ 500,000) for purchase of more heavy vehicles for the Army's Humanitarian Demining Unit has been made.
Army deminers, making the biggest contribution to the field of demining have by August 5th 2010 cleared a total area of 679 sq km in the north and east provinces. A Non Technical Survey (NTS) carried out by the Army meanwhile claims that some 850 sq km has already been cleared of LTTE laid mines.
Deminers in the Sri Lanka Army Engineers have accordingly unearthed 32,171 anti personnel mines, 123 anti tank mines and 23,566 Unexploded Ordnance (UXOs) as of 5th of August 2010. In addition, other deminers, attached to Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and International Non Government Organizations (INGOs) have managed to unearth mines and UXOs and cleared 239 sq km of area in extent both in the north and east. 150,422 anti personnel mines, 351 anti tank mines and 93,010 UXOs had been unearthed by those aid agencies as of 5th August 2010. A total of 31 officers and 991 Army deminers across northern and eastern provinces are busy clearing these deadly explosives at present.
The US, in its latest communiqu‚ issued on Friday (6) claimed that the allocation of Rs. 56 million for the Army humanitarian demining is to be used for purchase of six ambulances, nine personnel carriers and six double cab trucks for the use of Army deminers.` Meanwhile, the US embassy Press Release on Friday (6) announced that the US stands committed to assisting the return of all IDPs to their homes upon completion of demining. Here follows the release;
" The United States stands committed to assisting Sri Lanka in caring for those persons displaced by the conflict and in helping them return to their homes and begin their lives. The U.S. will contribute Rs. 581 million ($5.417 million) for humanitarian demining needs in Sri Lanka from now through next summer. These funds follow on the Rs. 742 million ($6.6 million) contribution from the United States last July to the four international demining agencies currently working in the North. Of this latest funding, Rs. 440 million ($3.917 million) will be dedicated to those same international demining agencies; Rs. 56 million ($500,000) is being used to purchase six ambulances, nine personnel carriers, and six double-cab trucks for the Sri Lanka Army's Humanitarian Demining Unit; and for the remaining Rs. 112 million ($1 million), the U.S. Embassy will work with the Humanitarian Demining Unit to identify and procure equipment that will enable further progress of demining.
Significant progress has been made on humanitarian demining by all parties involved in Sri Lanka over the past year. The United States remains committed to supporting these efforts."