2,000 more acres cleared of mines in Mannar of Northwestern Sri Lanka

About 2,000 acres of paddy fields in Yodha Wewa area in the Mannar District have been cleared from mines by the Sri Lanka Army.

The Army said that the farmers would now be able to commence cultivations in these lands for the next season.

Army said that measures have been taken to cultivate about 2,000 acres of paddy fields in Jaffna peninsula as well. Read more ...

Sri Lanka imports machines to clear mines

Sri Lanka has imported equipment to speed up mine clearing in the former war zone in the island's north, the defence ministry said on Saturday.

The mine-clearing machines imported from Slovakia would be used to accelerate resettlement of people driven out of the area during the height of fighting, the ministry said in a statement.

Sri Lanka's army and eight other organisations were involved in removing thousands of mines, but most of the work was done manually, K. Kumarasiri, secretary to the Nation Building Ministry, told AFP.

"Only 10 square metres (about 100 square feet) can be de-mined daily (by one mine clearer) through manual work," added Major General D.M.D. Alwis, coordinator of the Sri Lanka Humanitarian Demining Project.

"But these machines can clear 5,000 square metres," he said. Read more ...

Photo Caption: Five Bozena Flail machines costing Sri Lanka Rs. 250m bought from Slovakia to remove land mines buried in the North and East arrived in the island on a special Chinese Airways airline yesterday. They were handed over to the Sri Lanka Army at the Airport by Ministers Sarath Gunaratne and Rishard Bathiudeen. Picture by Saman Sri Wedage. Source: Daily News

India ready to help in de-mining

India has expressed her willingness to help Colombo in de-mining activities in the North where the LTTE has buried a uncountable number of mines.

Meanwhile,Sri Lankan Security forces have near completed de-mining in many areas liberated the LTTE grip recently.

The Indian government has expressed willingness to support to expedite the task of de-mining the former troubled areas where the LTTE buried untold number of landmines. Read more ...

“International assistance welcome” - Basil Rajapaksa (MP)

Last week saw quite an unprecedented spirit of jubilation and celebration among the people of Sri Lanka, at the conclusion of 30 years of bitter civil war. Enough of celebrations; now, it is time to roll up our sleeves and get back to work – the immediate task at hand is to resettle the 250,000 people who have been displaced in the North, and rebuild the infrastructure, social networks and civil administration in the areas. Spearheading the operation resettlement is Senior Presidential Advisor and MP Basil Rajapaksa. Having had the experience of vast displacement in the 2004 tsunami, and having successfully resettled the majority of the displaced in the Eastern Province, Rajapaksa is confident, that resettling the people in the North will not be a formidable challenge.

"I think, we have a good record in resettling those people. No other country can claim that kind of experience. Just like our brave security forces fought a record battle against terrorism – and being the only country to have done this type of thing – we also have a record in looking after these people and resettling them," he said in an interview with The Nation.

The only challenge he foresees in this monumental task is the extensive de-mining that has to be done, prior to rebuilding and resettling. In his message to the international community, in this crucial moment, he said, "If they are our genuine friends, then be our friends. We don't want 'monitors,' we need partners. Be our partners in this task to help our people." Read more ...