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| Sunday, 2 May 2004 |
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Security |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Massive public awareness campaign on mine detection gets under way COLOMBO: The UNHCR, having realized the importance of continuous public awareness programmes on Mine Detections in the North joined hands together with the Army to conduct workshops on the subject of "Mine Detection". A workshop on "Mine Identification and Detection" which got under way at Kovilakkandy Maha Lakshmi Vidyalaya, was attended by over 100 civilians from Palaly, Morawanpulo and Kovilakkandy areas. The Army, in what was seen as another step of their ongoing public welfare programme released these houses recently to their rightful owners. Nine officials led by UNHCR Head in Jaffna conducted this workshop at the request of the Army following an initiative taken by Major Gen. M.D.S. Chandrapala, Commander, Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna with the cooperation of the 7 Field Engineers Regiment. These officials during their lectures held several demonstrations and answered queries posed by participants, infrastructural development, needed for resettlement now goes on in the North in the aftermath of the war that ravaged this island-nation, is not without its consequent disastrous challenges and circumstances. Home bound members of the displaced public need to be educated, if not, should be alerted to potential dangers that surround their innocent lives once resettled. It is estimated that about 20 square kilometers are mined in Jaffna with over 500,000 land mines. In the Vanni there are over 1.5 million mines. The position in the Eastern province is not known. Part of their safety/security concerns in cleared areas is a matter purely entrusted to the Police as well as the armed forces because it is finally the public who would be going to live in those areas once their basic needs are provided as usual. The Army's role in this regard is significant since it is the Army which could reach the masses in case of any emergency, offering its technical know-how, service, etc. |
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| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
