Demining in Jaffna Peninsula will end next month.

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Demining in Jaffna Peninsula will end next month.

Demining in the Jaffna peninsula has been accelerated to make the peninsula a mine-free zone by next month. Jaffna Commanding Officer Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said that the demining and removal of unexploded devices in many areas of Jaffna including Nannankalappu had been stepped up, and a major portion of the peninsula had already been de-mined.
He said the Army de-miners were removing mines along the Northern rail track, and work on the reconstruction of the rail track could commence as soon as demining was completed. The Major General said several international demining organizations were assisting the Army in this operation.
Meanwhile the United States announced last week that it would contribute Rs. 581 million, equivalent to 5.417 million U.S.Dollars towards humanitarian demining needs in Sri Lanka from now on through till the next summer. Out of this amount, Rs. 56 million is to be used for the purchase of six ambulances, nine personnel carriers, and six double-cabs for the Sri Lanka Army's Humanitarian Demining Unit.Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said that 73,689 persons had been resettled within the peninsula. Another 2,332 persons from 699 families remain to be resettled.
Courtesy: Government Information Department