Japan gives Rs 86 m grant for demining in North

The Japanese government extended an additional US$ 785,000 (approximately Rs 86 million) grant aid for humanitarian demining in the North through the HALO Trust to expedite the efforts of the Sri Lanka government to achieve a mine-free Sri Lanka.

HALO Trust Programme Manager Adam Jasinski said: "We are very grateful to the government of Japan for its continuing support, which will allow the HALO Trust to employ 200 local deminers and focus on clearing high-priority minefields in Kilinochchi and Jaffna districts." The grant contract between Japanese Ambassador Nobuhito Hobo and HALO Trust Programme Manager Adam Jasinski was signed at the ambassador's residence in Colombo yesterday.

Japan has been a major donor supporting mine clearance in Sri Lanka to accelerate the return and resettlement of Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) and to facilitate recommencement of agriculture and other livelihood activities of returnees. The Japanese government extended around Rs 250 million grant aid for mine clearance including this project through the HALO Trust, Delvon Assistance for Social Harmony Sri Lanka (DASH) and Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) in 2011. It also provided an accumulated amount of Rs 2,500 million since 2003 for demining activities in the North and the East under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).

The Japanese government has extended assistance for development in the North through projects such as improvement of central facilities of Jaffna Teaching Hospital, construction of Vavuniya-Killinochchi Transmission Line, urgent rehabilitation of resettled communities in Jaffna and Mannar districts, digital topographic mapping, and training for public officers.