Flow of arms to terrorists must stop
We have also discovered factories of the LTTE in
which mines had been manufactured:
The keynote address by Army Commander Lt.
Gen. J. Jayasuriya at the seminar on “international law and landmine and
explosive remnants of war” held in Colombo yesterday.
poised to realize 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.
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Army
Commander Lt. Gen. J. Jayasuriya |
In reaching towards our goal, I wish to thank the organizers of this
seminar for the timely initiative taken by them to familiarize the key
stakeholders in the Government regarding the Anti-personnel Mine
Convention, and other related instruments such as the CCW Convention
Protocol II on Mines and the Convention on Cluster Munitions, enhanced
awareness and knowledge of these instruments, I am sure would contribute
positively towards the stabilization process.
The common theme linking all these above instruments is the
humanitarian consideration arising from indiscriminate use where victims
are concerned. As an example, it is well-known that the 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.
Where the Cluster Munitions are concerned, I wish to categorically
state that such inhumane weapons have never, and will never be used by
the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. During the last stages of the conflict,
interested parties have alleged such use in Sri Lanka, with a view to
bringing the Government and the Security Forces into disrepute, which
allegations are totally unfounded and baseless.
With regard to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as
the Ottawa Convention, although Sri Lanka is not a party to the
Convention in view of the past situation of conflict in the country, Sri
Lanka has consistently maintained that Sri Lanka fully subscribes to the
humanitarian objectives of the Treaty. Since 1996, Sri Lanka voted in
favour of all Resolutions at the UNGA, which called for a ban on use,
stockpiling, production and transfer of Anti Personnel Land Mines and on
their destruction. This was a public expression of our support for the
humanitarian goal of the Treaty to eliminate the suffering to civilians
caused by Anti-Personnel Land Mines.
Furthermore, on June 13, 2005, Sri Lanka submitted a Voluntary Report
under Article 7 of the Ottawa Convention, compiled by the Army in
consultation with the Foreign Ministry as a demonstration of our
transparency and commitment towards the underlying objectives of the
treaty.
Sri Lanka became a party to Protocol II Conventional Weapons
Convention dealing with mines on September 29, 2004, whereby Sri Lanka
undertook to fully adhere to the provisions of the Convention, which
requires that the “Parties to a conflict must also distinguish between
civilians and combatants, and civilians must not be targeted for attack”
and that “the use of weapons that are of a nature to cause superfluous
injury or unnecessary suffering” is prohibited.
I also wish to draw attention to the fact that the use of mines by
the Sri Lankan military is strictly limited and restricted to defensive
purposes only, and not as an offensive weapon; and such defensive mines
are laid to demarcate and defend military installations and are marked
accordingly; and relevant records systematically maintained, and also
that mines are never used to target civilian populations.
These facts clearly demonstrate the commitment of the Armed Forces
and the Government in voluntarily complying with humanitarian principles
and of having acted within the framework of the Amended Protocol II of
the CCW Convention on Landmines.
Further, the Government has undertaken a Mine Action Plan Program for
de-mining areas that have been cleared of LTTE activities signifying the
commitment in working towards a mine free country subject to security
considerations.
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Terrorists’ weapons recovered from
Vavuniya. File photo |
During the three decade conflict, we in the Army have witnessed the
extent of indiscriminate use of mines by the LTTE amidst civilian
populated areas demonstrating the total disregard that this terrorist
group had for international humanitarian norms and for civilian lives.
Types of LTTE mines and recoveries
With the end of conflict in Sri Lanka, large quantities of mines laid
by the LTTE in the former LTTE dominated areas have been recovered and
are continuing to be recovered by the Army during the past five months.
We have also discovered factories of the LTTE in which mines had been
manufactured, and stored in large quantities. This alone is proof of the
inhumane tactics ruthlessly and indiscriminately adopted by the LTTE
which endangered the helpless civilians living in areas dominated by
this terrorist group. Our experience shows that these deadly mines on
almost all occasions leaves its victims either dead or maimed and
crippled for life. Whilst turning out locally manufactured crude mines
and illegally procuring and smuggling sophisticated mines into the
island, indiscriminately causing destruction to economic targets and
killing and maiming innocent civilians in various parts of the country,
the LTTE launched its false propaganda campaign in the international
arena blaming the Government and the Security Forces for resorting to
unlawful means and methods of warfare.
Areas mined by the LTTE
It is well-known that the indiscriminate use of mines in civilian
populated areas by the LTTE considerably delayed the Army offensive in
liberating the civilians living in such areas from the clutches of the
LTTE. This slide depicts areas mined by the LTTE. The Army exercised
extreme caution to ensure that whilst confronting and neutralizing the
LTTE, there should not be any civilian casualties, thereby giving effect
to the Government policy of zero civilian casualties.
Let us now for a moment focus our minds to the pertinent question as
to how the LTTE acquired these mines and ammunition and smuggled them
into the country and our responsibility to ensure and prohibit such
malpractices in the future. We need to ensure international measures to
prevent the illegal flow of arms and inhumane weapons to non-State
actors and terrorist groups, whilst safeguarding the right of sovereign
States to self-defence against these forces. In my opinion this would
not only require surveillance and security measures being adopted
locally by the State key stakeholders but would also need international
cross border cooporation and co-ordination. As an island, we are
particularly concerned about the maritime aspects, and the illegal
transportation by sea-channels.
We realize that the destructive effect of landmines unfortunately
extend even beyond the duration of conflict - one of the most important
challenges we face in the post-conflict context of resettling IDPs is
the clearing of mines indiscriminately laid by the LTTE. For the
resettlement process, landmines pose a serious threat. During the
conflict in Sri Lanka, it was evident that the LTTE had laid millions of
mines in the areas under their control, disregarding the danger that
could be suffered by the innocent civilians. As per the initial survey
by the Information Management System on Mine Action, it was estimated
that 1.5 million landmines and unexploded explosive ordnance (UXO) are
scattered in the Northern part and over 500 SqKm of land area
contaminated with landmines, Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and
Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) in five districts of the North namely Jaffna,
Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Vavuniya.
Let me give a brief outline of the de-mining history in Sri Lanka and
the role played by the Sri Lanka Army in this process. The Sri Lanka
Army initiated de-mining operations with limited resources, knowledge
and equipment in the Jaffna Peninsula in Mid 2002, in order to
facilitate the resettlement of IDPs and assist with the reconstruction
process.
In August 2003, the US State Department provided assistance through
the RONCO consulting co-operation in training and equipping the Sri
Lanka Army in Humanitarian de-mining. The SLA Humanitarian De-mining
Contingent was upgraded as a professional entity with all three
components of Humanitarian De-mining ie Manual, Mechanical and MDD,
(Mine Detection Dogs) with the assistance of RONCO.
The RONCO consulting cooperation completed their mission of training
664 Army personnel in different aspects of de-mining in May 2007 and
handed over the de-mining operations to the Sri Lanka Army.
The Sri Lanka Army has been engaged in the humanitarian task of
de-mining and has been responsible for clearing over 75 percent of the
area de-mined so far. The coordinated effort is assisted by a number of
donors, NGOs and UN agencies and we have been able to reduce the monthly
casualty rate to 0.33 percent. During the humanitarian de-mining
operation it was found that greater proportion of the mines are
antipersonnel type and they can be found virtually anywhere from
unmarked minefields to agricultural lands, houses and home gardens
resulting in the displacement of the local population.
As per the UN reports, mines have been laid by the LTTE on an ad hoc
basis without corresponding records indicating layouts.
Humanitarian de-mining in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Government has launched an accelerated Humanitarian
De-mining (HDM) program with the assistance of the international
community, Sri Lanka Army and the INGOs As a first step General Mine
Action Assessment was carried out and all contaminated areas have been
identified.
As per the assessment over 500 SKm have been identified as a danger
area. Out of total extend of the land contaminated, over 65 percent of
the area was inhabited by the civilians and about 25 percent of the area
is agricultural land. The balance area is shrub and thick jungles. Based
on the assessments mapping has been completed and resettlement
priorities have been worked out.
Tasks have been allocated to various agencies and time lines have
been indicated. In order to monitor the process national steering
committee for mine action and district mine action offices were
established.
Sri Lanka Army Humanitarian De-Mining contingent, which is the only
such organization operational in Sri Lanka possessing the capability of
executing operations through internationally accepted three different
methods; Manual, Mechanical and MDD, continues to spearhead the National
Mine Action Program.
Therefore, the Government of Sri Lanka has enhanced the capacity by
providing all equipment and mechanical assets (Flail Machine) and the
total capacity will be upgraded to a fully equipped humanitarian
de-mining unit with one thousand de-miners by the end of the year 2009.
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Working
towards a mine free country. File photo |
Further Sri Lankan Government had already provided twelve
humanitarian de-mining machines to the Sri Lanka Army, which enhanced
the capacity tremendously.
During the humanitarian de-mining operations the Sri Lanka Army had
cleared over forty million square metres and approximately ten thousand
mines and UXOs (in Vanni) have been recovered up to date. The tentative
time frame and areas to be de-mined is as shown on the screen.
The National Steering Committee for Landmines (NSCMA) is the apex
body for decision-making regarding mine clearance and works in close
coordination with the UN, a number of stakeholders, including
international and national organizations and the UN agencies in
particular UNDP.
The Presidential Task Force for resettlement development and security
in the Northern Province headed by Senior Advisor to the President Basil
Rajapaksa MP is actively engaged in coordinating, monitoring in and
expediting the humanitarian de-mining activities.
Further the Government is exploring all possible avenues to obtain
the assistances from international donor community, to help us in this
mammoth humanitarian operation. I understand that we require and would
appreciate assistance from the International community in relation to
training of de-miners and also assistance with machinery and equipment
and also the establishment of the Information Management System for Mine
Action, which would help us with expediting the de-mining process and
facilitate the resettlement of civilians in their original habitats.
With the assistance of the International community, all INGOs and the
Sri Lanka Army humanitarian de-mining unit, Sri Lankan Government is
confident that it could accomplish this gigantic humanitarian operation,
clearing of high and medium priority areas expeditiously.
In conclusion I wish to state that with the end of conflict, we have
had the opportunity to review Sri Lanka’s position with regard to the
Ottawa Convention.
At the end of the review, we have agreed that as a further voluntary
measure, we will submit an update under Article 7 of the Treaty. We will
also fulfill our reporting obligation under the CCW Convention.
I take this opportunity to thank the sponsors who have taken the
initiative, in humanitarian interest to sensitize various stakeholders
in Sri Lanka, including the Government regarding the terrible
humanitarian effect of landmines.
The Sri Lanka Army in its operational role in the last three decades
have 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. |