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Expansion of Humanitarian De-Mining Unit Operations

Press Release of HDU

The Humanitarian De-mining Unit (HDU), which was established in April 1999, by the TRO with 150 manual de-miners, has been expanded to 500 with the superb assistance of TRO and international NGOs. Humanitarian de-mining activity is in full force and this demolition of recovered mine is included in it. We feel proud to say, that the manual de-mining method with rakes, which was introduced by HDU is still successful and has been accepted by the international mine action agencies. With the support of these agencies we have been brought up to the international standards. We are very grateful to them on the behalf of our people.

The HDU, which is committed to protect human life from explosive dangers, is implementing several systematic steps to achieve its goal by creating mine free environment in the Tamil homeland within few years. In the year of 1999 the number of civilian victims of land mine and unexploded ordinance (UXO) accidents were high, around 182, but in the year of 2003 it has been reduced to 5. This was one of the main results of the dedicated service of our de-miners. So we could come to the conclusion that, the danger posed by UXO and land mines on the civilian population has been reduced to 12.6%.

Up to April 2003, we have cleared 38,188,950 sq. meters. So far 98 476 mines and 80,993 UXO in total were recovered by HDU. In the past Public demolitions were not conducted by HDU, though in the future they will be held monthly. Today we are destroying approximately 3,500 land mines, which were removed by HDU teams, which are being technically and financially assisted by NPA.

By removing and destroying 3,500 mines we feel that we have protected 3500 legs and families. We have great pleasure to hear that more than 5,261 families have resettled into the areas, where we found these land mines. We must be thankful for the NPA, which is standing shoulder to shoulder with us to keep up to the international standards and in the expansion of HDU.

We have plans of broadening HDU operations by increasing the manpower up to 600 and expanding our service to Jaffna peninsula and other regions. With the fully-fledged support of NPA we have now recruited women de-miners, and we hope that they will make an efficient team.

We look forward for the support of the public, NGO s and other department to join hands with us on this operation towards a peaceful future in the Tamil Home Land.

06 June 2003

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