|
|
|
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - 05.56 GMT |
|
Jaffna
de-mining to be completed soon |
|
|
|
De-mining in the Jaffna peninsula has been accelerated to make the peninsula a mine-free zone by next month. Jaffna Commanding Officer Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said that the de-mining and removal of unexploded devices in many areas of Jaffna including Nannankalappu had been stepped up, and a major portion of the peninsula had already been de-mined.
He said that the Army de-miners were removing mines along the Northern rail track, and work on the reconstruction of the rail track could commence as soon as de-mining was completed. The Major General said several international de-mining organizations were assisting the Army in this operation.
Meanwhile, the United States announced last week that it would contribute Rs.581 million, equivalent to 5.417 million US Dollars towards humanitarian de-mining needs in Sri Lanka from now on through till the next summer. Out of this amount, Rs.56 million is to be used for the purchase of six ambulances, nine personnel carriers, and six double-cabs for the Sri Lanka Army's Humanitarian De-mining Unit. Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said that 73,689 persons had been resettled within the peninsula. Another 2,332 persons from 699 families remain to be resettled.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contact Information:: Send
mail to