A US funded project launched in the aftermath of the Norway-arranged CFA in February 2003 to train Sri Lanka Army in humanitarian de-mining has been one of the key reasons for Sri Lanka’s success in resettling the war displaced in areas once controlled by the LTTE.

Clearing an area of mines as well as unexploded explosive ordnance (UXOs) is prerequisite to resettlement of civilians in the North and East.

The SLA launched de-mining operations in the Jaffna peninsula in mid 2002 with limited resources, knowledge and equipment, on a directive given by the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The then government had been in a hurry to resettle civilians, in keeping with the CFA though it lacked the required expertise to launch an accelerated programme to clear mines before the US stepped in August 2003.

An army spokesman told The Island that the US State Department had provided both training and equipment through RONCO, a specialist private firm. He said that RONCO had trained 664 officers and men before completing its assignment in May 2007.

He said that the SLA continued its training programmes conforming to the high standards introduced by RONCO.

Major General Deepal Alwis, the senior officer in charge of army de-mining operations told The Island that 20 officers and 750 men had been deployed for mine clearing operations. He said that the army who currently deployed at Vidathalthivu, Karunkandal (Mannar rice bowl area) and Amathipuram in the Kilinochchi district.

Of the three sites, Vidathalthivu is the largest with the army being tasked to clear 480 square kms, whereas Karunkandal (4.5 sq kms) and Amathipuram (0.5 sq. km) are relatively small. The army has so far cleared about 8 sq. km of Vidathalthivu, formerly a major Sea Tiger base. By last Friday (Nov 20), the army had recovered 81 anti-personnel mines and 39 UXOs from Vidathalthivu.

The army had so far recovered 191 anti-personnel mines and 295 UXOs from Karunkandal and 106 anti-personnel mines and 12 UXOs from the third site.

The army has so far cleared 11 sites, including four major sites in the Vanni area.

During clearing operations in the Mannar rice bowl area during April-October this year, the army recovered 7,200 anti-personnel mines, one anti-tank mine and 1538 UXOs. Major General Alwis said that they had cleared 37 sq. km.

The army also cleared 1.2 sq. km in June-July this year to facilitate the Madhu church festival and recovered 306 anti-personnel mines and 59 UXOs from the church area.

During April-June this year, the army cleared a 10 km long stretch northwards from Thandikulam to allow the Railway Department to restore the northern railway track upto Omanthai. The army recovered only two UXOs whereas 15 anti-personnel mines and one UXO were found at Kokavil. The army cleared 56,000 sq. metres at Kokavil (August-September this year) to put up a new communications tower.

During the past few months, the army cleared six sites at Vidathalthivu (4,700 sq. metres), Adampan (2,225 sq. metres), Pappammoddai (2,300 sq. metres), Iluppaikkadavai (8,100 sq. metres), Vellankulam (9,300 sq. metres) and Mulangavil (37,000 sq. metres) and Poomalandar (1.4 sq. km).

Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya intends to increase the number of army de-miners to 1,000 by end of this year. He has directed the recruitment of 1,200 more officers and men for humanitarian de-mining in 2010.

Of the ten battalion-strong Engineers’ Regiment, four are deployed on a ‘holding role’.

In support of Sri Lanka’s mine clearing efforts, six NGOs operate in the North. Although, they has not been able to match the army’s performance, British, Swiss, Indian and Danish mine clearing groups, too, have done a lot. Of them, two Indian groups have been engaged by the Milinda Moragoda Institute, the only such operation run by a Sri Lankan politician.

The army said that several hundred locals had been hired by the NGOs though some expatriates continued to be involved in the process.

Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya told a recent seminar in Colombo that the LTTE had manufactured a range of mines at factories set up in the Vanni. It had also smuggled in sophisticated mines from abroad, he said. The army had found mines manufactured in many foreign countries, but the LTTE had manufactured some deadly mines. The army had recovered anti-personnel mines with steel balls as well as cyanide and mines which would explode if anyone tried to remove them. The army had subsequently developed methods to neutralise mines meant to kill or maim de-miners.

Based on a survey carried out by the army, Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya estimated the mines, UXOs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) scattered in the North at 1.5 million. He said that over 500 square kms could be contaminated with mines, UXOs and IEDs. He said that out of the contaminated area, over 65 per cent had been inhabited by civilians and 25 per cent was agricultural land and the rest shrub and jungles.