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FROM THE FIELD

MAG Sri Lanka - October update
20 Nov 2008 12:55:00 GMT
 Source: MAG (Mines Advisory Group)
Website: Website: http://www.maginternational.org/srilanka

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Background

•  Sri Lanka conflict

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SUMMARY (1st - 31st October 2008)

- Search and clearance of a total of 42,852 square metres of land through a combination of manual and mechanical techniques.

- Removal of 10 antipersonnel mines and three items of unexploded ordnance.

- Continued current tasks consisting of seven hazardous areas / sectors.

- Reached 1,600 individuals with safety briefings and other community liaison services.

Impact Summary:

Clearance of land and the issue of a land release / low risk certificate is the first criterion to meet within UNHCR's resettlement programme; without mine clearance, resettlement cannot be undertaken. Mine action is the precursor to the humanitarian activities of other organisations, allowing agencies to return to areas in the knowledge that they are cleared of explosive threat or such threats are clearly marked. In October MAG continued clearance of a task to allow for the resettlement and support of communities in their return to Veppavaduwan in Batticaloa district.

ACTIVITIES

All humanitarian mine action activities are undertaken from MAG's operational base in Batticaloa; MAG is currently undertaking resources planning to respond to emerging need in other areas of the country.

Funding Update:

On Thursday 13th November MAG was honoured to sign a contract with His Excellency Kiyoshi Araki of the Embassy of Japan confirming further funding to support the mechanical clearance capacity for 2009. This is the fifth year of support received from the people of Japan.

Manual Clearance:

Entirely funded by the United States, Department of State Political Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, MAG's manual teams completed clearance of 4,778m2 through manual means. The work focussed on the high risk areas of the current task, resulting in 10 Jonny 99 anti-personnel mines being removed, as well as 2 items of unexploded ordnance, including a Bangalore torpedo explosive clearance device.

Mechanical Clearance:

Supported by the Government of Japan, MAG's mechanical capacity worked in partnership, in an integrated fashion, with the manual clearance teams undertaking ground preparation and verification of the low risk areas. During October the teams completed 38,074sq/m despite heavy rain and mechanical factors impacting upon the operational plan.

Community Liaison:

Community Liaison teams, funded by MAG America and Unicorn Grocery, undertook post clearance impact assessment and provide safety briefings within communities in Erravur Pattu and Manmunai. Signs, such as that to the right, have been erected along principal transportation routes in order to identify the hazards and specific hazardous areas.

Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal / Small Arms and Light Weapons:

Recognising that conflict recovery includes a wide range of activities, MAG is exploring how to support the Government of Sri Lanka in management and destruction of Small Arms and Light Weapons: watch this space for more details on how this is progressing or contact MAG for further information.

MAG would like to express its gratitude and sincere thanks to the following donors currently contributing to the Sri Lanka programme: Actiefonds Mijnen Ruimen; BDO; Good Gifts; Japanese Government; Kirby Laing Foundation; Lloyds Trust; Unicorn Grocery; United States Department of State, Political Military Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.

For more information on this or any of MAG's programmes across the world please visit www.maginternational.org


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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Topics

•  International Humanitarian Law

•  Landmines and explosives

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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