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by Nadira Gunatilleke

The Sri Lanka Campaign to ban landmines (Inter Religious Peace Foundation) will inaugurate the citizen's petition to ban anti-personnel mines today January 4 at 9.30 a.m. at the Dharma Gaveshi Buddhist Centre, Bauddhaloka Mawata, Colombo 7 with the placement of signatures by religious leaders representing all the religions in the country.

According to the convenors of the Foundation, Ven. Madampagama Assaji Thera and Rev. Freddy de Alwis, despite nearly two third of the world's nations agreeing to be bound by the "Mine Ban Treaty" (Ottawa Treaty) Sri Lanka has not yet acceded to it. Up to now over 10,000 persons have become victims of anti-personnel mines, a considerable number being innocent civilians. Moreover, large extent of fertile agricultural land in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country have become unusable.

Attempts made to influence the Government and the LTTE to avoid this catastrophe has not been successful. With a petition of two million citizens presented to both the Government and the LTTE, we attempt once again to urge the Government to accede to the "Mine Ban Treaty" and call upon the LTTE to stop using anti-personnel mines.

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