Five thousand families resettled after N-E demining

History has been created by a local organization by establishing the first ever South Asian humanitarian demining organization to rid the mine infested areas of Sri Lanka, which facilitated successful resettlement of over 5,000 internally displaced families.

Deminers in action

This programme was initiated by the Milinda Moragoda Institute for Peoples' Empowerment (MMIPE) in 2003, which saw the removal of landmines from a vast area exceeding 25,000 acres, facilitating those areas to be resettled and brought under economic activity.

MMIPE's humanitarian mine action programme commenced with technical support and training of local demining teams by two Indian organizations, Sarvatra Technical Consultants and Horizon. Financial support for this humanitarian programme was provided by the Royal Norwegian government.

MMIPE is carrying out de-mining activities in Muruthankulam and Cheddikulam in the Vavunia District and Pulmudai in the Trincomalee District. When completed these three tasks would enable the release of an additional 1000 acres for paddy cultivation.

The first stage of mine clearance under the programme enabled release of 25,000 acres of land in Kandasamy Nagar, Kuppiyagama, Chekkadipallavu A, Chekkadipallavu B, Ammivaithan, Ellamaruthankulam, Maruthankulam and Maruthodai, in the Vavuniya District; Poomaranthan and P/Pandivirchan in the Mannar District; Pullaiadicholai-Muttur, Poonagar, Ichchalampattu, Sankankuli, Maavillaru, Tennaimaramvadiya, Pulmudai in the Trincomalee District; Dematawewa, Diyaittawewa, Yan Oya, Thanthirimale, Kanugahawewa, Yakawewa and Kongollawa in the Anuradhapura district.

Since the inception, two Indian mine clearing teams worked to facilitate recommencement of livelihood and economic activity of Internally Displaced Persons by removing thousands of anti-personnel landmines (APLs) and un-exploded devices (UXOs). With the training provided by the Indian teams during the first two years, using a manual rake system, the MMIPE employed over 60 local personnel and established two teams representing all communities and religions.

They are probably the only de-mining organization in the region, employing multi ethnic, multi religious, and multi linguistic civic conscious de-miners with a gender balance.