http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=Demining_process_nearing_completion_20130529_01

Demining process nearing completion

Almost every district situated in the North and East of Sri Lanka were highly contaminated with indiscriminately laid landmines and booby traps by LTTE at the conclusion of the three decade long ruthless war.

An unknown number of landmines had been laid in cultivable paddy fields, farm lands and beautiful landscapes not only threatening the lives and livelihoods of innocent peasant community, but also threatening the lives of innocent animals.

Completing an extensive process of demining work to meet the huge humanitarian challenge just after eliminating thirty years of brutal terrorism, government has nearly come to its end.

Troops played a prominent role in providing a dedicated service to expedite the demining process. Demining of each and every inch of the land and making land safe for people to return to their villages was then a priority. Demining by hand was slow and painstaking which needed vigilant concentration to carryout.

However, Sri Lanka will be the first country to succeed in removing mine fields in a short period of time eradicating a three decade long terrorism.

Soon after the defeat of LTTE in year 2009, the government with the support of donor countries like Australia, Japan, China, India, the EU, the US, UNDP, UNICEF, national and international mine action groups implemented a comprehensive and rapid de-mining programme to clear 2,064 square kilometres of land, which had been heavily mined during the conflict.

Once, Britain's Prince Harry noted that, "threat of landmines in the Northern Sri Lanka could be eradicated in the next five years, if funding can be sustained".

Humanitarian demining process of the government has allowed the citizens of the war affected regions to move in their territory without hesitation and to engage in livelihood freely.

From the recognized area of 2,064 square kilometres, 1,968 Sq. Km have been cleared and only 96 Sq. Km are remaining.

During this hard attempt, troops and demining groups have removed over 500,000 anti-personnel mines, anti-tank mines, and numerous forms of improvised explosive devices. The total thus recovered is said to be about one million.

Areas determined for development had been cleared allowing the development process to continue without any difficulty.