Norwegian support for demining project

Head of the Demining Unit of the Milinda Moragoda Institute Nanda Godage and Norwegian Ambassador Tore Hattrem signed an agreement to support humanitarian demining activities.

The Norwegian Government will provide Rs. 140 million to the Milinda Moragoda Institute for People's Empowerment, Sarvatra and Horizon to participate in the Sri Lankan Government's Humanitarian Mine Action Program for this year. The Norwegian Government has provided funding for the Milinda Moragoda Institute for People's Empowerment and two Indian NGOs; Sarvatra and Horizon for humanitarian demining activities since 2003. The total support has been around Rs. 600 million.

The Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development has assigned tasks for Humanitarian demining to these three organisations in Mannar, Batticaloa and the border villages in Anuradhapura District in 2009.

The objective of the program is to clear and certify mine free lands in North and East and release land for re-settlement, livelihood and economic development to support the Government of Sri Lanka's plans to compete the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons.