(Lanka-e-News- 11.May.2015, 12.25 PM) The evacuation of landmines in the north and east had come to a standstill because the cash grants to international organizations engaged in these operations have been immensely slashed , the Sri Lanka landmine specialists reveal.
With the ‘Hello trust’ international organization retrenching nearly 400 of its employees , the landmine evacuation program has been plunged into doom .
Vidya Abeygunawardena the researcher on landmines had revealed that the cut backs made on the international grants is vis a vis the tremendous economic growth lately in SL .At the same time , because the refugees are being re settled expeditiously , those countries rendering assistance for this program are of the view that further humanitarian aid is not necessary , he added.
Although the year 2020 is named as the year of complete evacuation of landmines in SL , the realization of this dream looks far fetched under the present circumstances owing to the lethargy affecting the landmine evacuation operations during the last several years , Abeygunawardena pointed out
In 2011 , landmines were evacuated from a 53 square kilometers area in the north east region , but in 2012 this evacuation declined to 22 square kilometers ., which decline continued in the years 2013 and 2014 with only 8 and 5 square kilometers respectively being cleared of landmines .
Abeygunawardena went on to elaborate that another land 74 square kilometers in extent has been identified for evacuation of landmines , but the exact date by when that can be completed cannot be stated .In the north and east there are still large areas where there are landmines which have not been detected yet, he noted.
Previously the landmine clearing was under the ministry of economic development but now it is under the ministry of resettlement. Bradman Weerakoon , the advisor to the ministry said, since the number of residents to be resettled is very few now, the landmine evacuation is progressing slowly
SL did not sign the international convention for evacuation of landmines because if that was signed during the period of the LTTE organization , then they too would become part of the government , Bradman Weerakoon elucidated.
Dinasena Rathugamage –Vavuniya
Translated by Jeff
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by (2015-05-11 07:19:50)
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