Demining in final stages

Amila Prabath Wanasinghe in Pudukuduiruppu

The last leg of the demining process is now going on at a rapid pace around the hideout used by LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran at Chenavil in Pudukuduiruppu. The DASH Institute engaged in demining under a scheme funded by Australia and Japan is now unearthing nearly 90 land mines daily.

On the instructions of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa the DASH Institute launched demining in this region on December 1 last year to facilitate the resettlement of people displaced by terrorism. So far nearly 1,000 landmines placed by LTTE terrorists have been cleared by the deminers. Apart from this many claymore mines and death-traps laid by the terrorists have also been cleared to make the area safe for people to be resettled. Nearly 56,000 mines laid by the LTTE terrorists in their bid to make the area a safe haven for their departed leader are expected to be unearthed from this region according to DASH estimates.

Nearly 44 personnel are deployed in the demining exercise and they work for nearly six hours daily beginning from 7 am. They said the demining is done without causing any damage to the environment.