Security News | Sundayobserver.lk

Sri Lanka has ended its war against terrorism with the LTTE, which lasted for nearly three decades, until 2009, and claimed many lives.

In addition, many were partially or permanently wounded and mentally traumatised. As far as property was concerned, there was untold damage and animals and the environment also suffered in the melee. Although the conflict has now been resolved, the ‘hidden enemy’ lies buried in the North and the East of Sri Lanka.

The conflict has left over a million (estimated 1.3 million to be unearthed) landmines buried in the sands of the North and the East, according to the strategy paper ‘The National Strategy for Mine Action in Sri Lanka’, initiated by the Ministry of Economic Development.

The Government and the international community are working tirelessly to clear the land in the North and the East which is filled with landmines. Soon after the conflict ended in 2009, de-mining became one of the main priorities for the Government and the international community in the context of efforts to resettle the displaced and carry out development projects.

Most importantly, Sri Lanka never produced or exported anti-personnel mines, with the exception of the LTTE which produced and used them. Now, Sri Lanka is making progress towards banning landmines in the country and is committed to acceding to the ‘Mine Ban Treaty’.

This will guarantee that landmines will not be owned or used in the future in Sri Lanka. The Ottawa Treaty or Mine Ban Treaty, or the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, completely bans all anti-personnel landmines.

National Mine Action Program

In 2002, the National Mine Action Program in Sri Lanka was initiated with the support of the UNDP, UNICEF, INGOs and several donor countries with the goal of creating a mine and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) -free environment and in support of resettlement and development programs of the Government of Sri Lanka.

The National Mine Action Program addresses the five pillars of mine action in Sri Lanka, including survey and clearance work, mine risk education, victim assistance, stockpile destruction and advocacy.

After nearly three decades of conflict, Sri Lanka had to resettle over 300,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the North. Today less than 20,000 IDPs remain to be resettled. Compared to programs conducted in other countries, Sri Lanka has done a remarkable job where resettlement is concerned.

One of main obstacles resulting in some delay in the program was landmines in lands spelt out for resettlement. Otherwise, all IDPs may have been resettled sometime ago. Sri Lanka’s de-mining program has been carried out by the Sri Lanka Army Humanitarian De-mining Unit (HDU), international INGOs and local NGOs operating in the North and the East.

According to the National Strategy for Mine Action in Sri Lanka 2010, Sri Lanka will have to maintain the current level of de-mining over the next 10 years to clear the entire land in the North and the East of landmines.

De-mining work is being done at a high cost, high risk and is extremely time consuming. It’s painstaking work and involves a lot of effort.

The Government has taken a bold decision towards the mine action program as a national priority by setting up the National Mine Action Centre (NMAC). In early 2010, NMAC was officially approved by the Cabinet and will gradually take over full responsibility for the coordination of mine action which has been set up with the support of the UNDP. The NMAC operates under the Ministry of Economic Development.

The National Strategy for Mine Action in Sri Lanka - 2010 states its commitments and objectives in the banning of landmines in Sri Lanka. Section 8.10 states: Advocate for the respect of international humanitarian law norms, particularly regarding the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Risk of explosive devices

By disseminating public information on the risks of explosive devices it is aimed at reaching the public of Sri Lanka and in this context to advocate for a ban of landmines and cluster munitions. Additionally, the importance of the CCW Protocol V on ERW will be highlighted as part of advocacy initiatives. Advocacy will also focus on the need to hand over and destroy any mines that remain in the control of any paramilitary group, as well as on the ban on trapguns causing indiscriminate harm to civilians and wildlife.

An advocacy forum was in place and produced considerable results from 2003 to 2006. Attempts to launch a new Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines have resulted in some impressive events.

Victim assistance is one of the key-pillars in mine action, but it is the weakest of the five. This is not only in Sri Lanka. Advocacy needs to highlight the need for increased victim assistance and should be linked to the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Sri Lanka signed the Convention in 2007, but has not ratified it.

Disability is under the purview of the Ministry of Social Services while the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition as well as the Ministry of Education play important complementary roles.

(a) Establish a public information capacity to ensure that information on the risks of explosive devices has reached the public of Sri Lanka and to continue to help advocate for a ban on landmines and cluster munitions as well as a domestic ban on trapguns.

The public should know about the mine/ERW situation and the mine action program in Sri Lanka. This information and a risk education campaign should be linked to advocating respect for international humanitarian law norms, particularly regarding the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Activities on and around April 4, the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, should be used to raise national and international attention to the landmine related issues in Sri Lanka.

A media campaign should be planned to raise awareness on the landmine threat in Sri Lanka, the response undertaken through mine action, the needs of people with disabilities including landmine victims and on advocacy for adopting the Ottawa Convention and other related legal instruments.

(b) Advocate to the relevant bodies in the Government of Sri Lanka to provide reports to show full transparency.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its UN division should be fully supported to produce reports in a timely manner, and a permanent mechanism in place to fulfill reporting requirements.

Sri Lanka Army

Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya stressed his views on banning landmines in Sri Lanka at a seminar on ‘International law and landmine and explosive remnants of war’ held in Colombo on October 27, 2009. He said: “[We are] Poised to realise the vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which is also the dream of each and every citizen of Sri Lanka. We have to think, and act as one people, one nation to achieve lasting peace and stability in our country.

“The common theme linking all these instruments is the humanitarian consideration arising from indiscriminate use where victims are concerned. For example, it is well-known that anti-personnel mines are considered “victim activated weapons”. This means that the use of the weapon is triggered by the victim and not by the aggressor. This has far reaching implications of a humanitarian nature. In the current post-conflict phase in Sri Lanka, it is timely that we focus our attention on the international legal instruments that limit or ban certain weapons based on humanitarian grounds.

“The Sri Lanka Army, in its operational role over the last three decades, has witnessed the terrible human cost of their indiscriminate use by the LTTE, resulting in loss of life and limbs, causing untold suffering to innocent civilians. I am sure that each one of us are eagerly looking forward to the day that our island nation would be a mine-free country, which I am sure is within our grasp and we do certainly hope such day would dawn in the near future”. (Daily News, October 28, 2009).

According to this statement, Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya has clearly identified and extended his fullest support towards acceding to the Mine Ban Treaty.

The Security Forces know how dangerous this weapon is. Since the 1980s, there were a total of 21,993 landmine casualties, including 1,419 civilian returnees according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).

According to UNICEF, landmines and unexploded ordnance violate nearly all the articles of the Convention of the Rights of the Child: a child’s right to life, to a safer environment in which to play, to health, clean water, sanitary conditions and adequate education.

According to the latest Landmine Monitor report of the ICBL, “Sri Lanka’s Government has voted in favour of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution calling for universalisation of the Mine Ban Treaty, UNGA Resolution 63/42, on December 2, 2008, as it has for every annual pro-ban General Assembly resolution since 1996.

There are one ISO (State parties) that have acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty, including Iraq and Afghanistan where conflicts are sporadic and protracted. Only 39 countries (States not parties) have not.

The people of Sri Lanka eagerly look forward to the day when the island nation will be a mine-free country; it is within our grasp, and we certainly hope that such a day will dawn soon. This will guarantee a country without landmines for Sri Lanka’s future generations.

Landmine facts

* According to a Sri Lanka Army spokesman, de-mining is complete in an area of 3,716 sq km; 311,031 mines have been removed; 1,000 Army engineers and seven NGOs have been involved in the process while 700 sq km of area remain to be de-mined.

* Historical evidence suggests that landmines have been used as early as 1277 AD.

* Landmines are cheap to produce and buy - from US$ 3 to US$ 30. But it takes much more, in terms of both funds and labour, to defuse or remove them. A single mine may cost as much as US$ 300 to remove.

* The UN says it needs US$ 498 million in 2011 to remove landmines in 29 countries including Sri Lanka. Fourteen UN agencies and departments are involved in mine clearance work. Security forces of individual countries and several de-mining NGOs are also engaged in this task.

* There are more than 120 million active landmines buried in 80 countries, with a further 110 million stockpiled. Egypt has the biggest number of buried landmines - 23 million, though most of them are from World War II. Angola has 10 million and Afghanistan, eight million.

* If all these landmines are to be removed, the UN will need US$ 50 billion and around 1,100 years (until 3111). But, for each mine cleared, around 20 are planted around the world. Eg. in 1994, only 100,000 landmines were removed, while a staggering two million were planted.

* Every 22 minutes, someone, somewhere in the world steps on a mine.

* There are 70 casualties a day, 2,000 a month, both combatants and civilians. Around 800 of them die. Buried landmines can remain active for over 50 years. Indeed, most World War II landmines are still active and prevent agricultural activities in many countries. The threat they pose thus lingers long after hostilities have ceased.

* Surgical care and the fitting of an orthopaedic appliance cost about $3,000 per landmine amputee in developing countries. This means a total expenditure of US$ 750 million for the 250,000 landmine amputees registered worldwide by the United Nations.

* In addition to inflicting physical and psychological damage on civilians, landmines disrupt social services, threaten food security by preventing thousands of hectares of productive land from being farmed, and hinder the return and resettlement of refugees and displaced persons.

* The Red Cross has estimated that over the past 50 years landmines have probably inflicted more death and injury than nuclear and chemical weapons combined.

Towards a Sri Lanka free of landmines

National Mine Action Program

Risk of explosive devices

Sri Lanka Army