|
|
 |
| Sunday, 7 April 2002 |
 |
|
 |
News |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
US de-mining experts due here soon by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE The United States government will assist Sri Lanka in de-mining activities in the north and east and, in that connection, two teams of de-mining experts will arrive here shortly. These two teams from the Quick Reaction De-mining Force based in Mozambique will be engaged in demining work before resettling 200,000 displaced persons. They will locate, identify, record, mark and destroy unexploded ordnance, landmines and improvised explosive devices found in the northern area. Two teams, each comprising 30 persons from the Quick Reaction De-Mining Force, will arrive here shortly to conduct de-mining tasks assigned by the Sri Lankan government. The teams will be based in Jaffna and will work there for four months, he said. The U.S. State Department's Senior De-mining Advisor, H. Murphey McCloy Jr. told the "Sunday Observer" that he is here to co-ordinate with the Sri Lankan government's de-mining program in the north. Under the US bi-lateral assistance program, the Quick Reaction De-mining Force, specially trained in de-mining work, will be deployed in the north for this job, he said. Earlier, a group from the US had visited Sri Lanka to make arrangements to set up a logistical base and, two de-mining teams each consisting of 18 technicians, are due here by the end of the month. The de-mining force will also comprise two medical technicians, mine detecting dogs, dog handlers, supervisors and administrative staff. Asked whether a lot of mines had been buried in the northern peninsula, Mr. McCloy said, according to several international organisations, the Sri Lanka Army and embassy sources, he had learnt that a countless number of mines had been buried in the northern and eastern parts of the country. "We have to eliminate this danger faced by the innocent civilians. The mine problem is not just one confined only to the Jaffna peninsula," he added. Asked whether the four minesniffer dogs brought here would have difficulty working in an arid place like Jaffna, he said that they had already acclimatised to the situation here. He said the removal of mines from the Jaffna peninsula would take a considerable period of time. The total number of displaced persons in Sri Lanka is estimated to be around 800,000 and, after they have been re-settled, they would face the risk of travelling through heavily mined areas via Vanni and Killinochchi. The Quick Reaction De-mining Force was established by the US Department of State last year as a result of lessons learned from the post=conflict situation in Kosovo. The organisation permanently based in Mozambique is engaged in de-mining tasks assigned by that government. In addition, the Quick Reaction De-ming Force undertakes emergency work in other parts of the world as well. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
