Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines Statement to the Donor Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka
Author/Origin: Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines mediaSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org |
(Monday 16 June 2003 Tokyo, Japan) The Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines and the Inter-Religious Peace Foundation issued this statement and call on banning landmines in Sri Lanka at the Donor Conference on Sri Lanka in Tokyo 8-10 June 2003.
2 million people in Sri Lanka requesting the Government and the LTTE to Ban Anti-personnel landmines.
Sri Lanka has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty) yet. However, Sri Lanka voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution 56/24m in November 2001, calling for universalization of Mine Ban Treaty.
A formal cease-fire agreement came in to force on 23rd Feb. 2002 , for the first time leaders of the LTTE expressed support for a ban on Anti-personnel landmine. Sri Lankan defense secretary has estimated that there are some 700,000 mines in the ground. The cease-fire is finally enabling significant mine action activities, but there is great concern about mine dangers to displaced families as they begin to return home. In March 2002, the World Bank committed US$ 1million for a new UNDP-led mine action project. UNICEF has resumed Mine Risk Education program in Jaffna. It would appear that reported new mine casualties increased during 2001, to more than 300.
The use of Anti-personnel Landmines has resulted in large areas of fertile agricultural land, urban roads, water resources and livestock in the northern and eastern parts of the country being seriously affected, particularly in Jaffna and Vanni. Unfortunately, mines have been laid in some of the most heavily populated and most fertile areas.
Sri Lanka defense Secretary , Mr.Austin Fernando estimated that the peninsula’s road and farmlands are around 700,000 mines planted by the Government forces and the LTTE.
The LTTE has estimated that there are now 2 million anti-personnel landmines in the areas under LTTE control.
Therefore, we as Sri Lankan citizens call upon the parties to the conflict, Sri Lanka government and the LTTE to Ban landmines that directly effects public life the economy of the country.
