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Video: De-mining: only 82 sq km remain

02 Apr 2014 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

While claiming that more than 1 million land mines had been unearthed so far in the de-mining process, the Army said today the lands with landmines in the North had been reduced to 82 square kilometers from 2,064 square kilometers because of the successful efforts of Sri Lankan Army and the assistance of local and international Non-Governmental Organisations.

“We have found and destroyed more than one million of land mines and explosives so far. We have cleared 60-70 percent of landmines in north and those lands are ready for resettlement. Army and nine local and international Non-Governmental Organisations are engage in the de-mining process. Most of these lands that had been cleared are the homelands of the internally displaced and farming lands. The rest, yet to be cleared are mainly forest areas,” Army Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya said.

He compared with other countries Sri Lanka had been able to move ahead in the de-mining process in a short period.

“Some countries like Vietnam and Cambodia are still carrying out de-mining process,” he said.

He said that the de-mining process was carried out to international standards set by the United Nations. “United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) searches the grounds that we have cleared and the resettlement would be done only after its approval,” he said. (SD & LSP)

Video by Sanath Desmond

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Video: De-mining: only 82 sq km remain

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