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Australian High Commission
Colombo
MEDIA RELEASE
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16 February 2010

Australia announces arrival of demining equipment

In a ceremony on Galle Face Green today, 16 February, Australia’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, HE Kathy Klugman, handed over a major consignment of demining equipment to assist the Sri Lankan Government’s accelerated humanitarian demining program in northern Sri Lanka. The Secretary of the Ministry of Nation Building, Mr Kumarasiri, received the consignment on behalf of the Government, in the presence of the Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe.

Valued at LKR272 million, the equipment is being provided by the Australian Government for use by the civilian demining unit in the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development. The equipment will substantially increase the Government’s capacity to clear mine contaminated areas in the north, with the goal of enabling displaced people to return safely to begin re-establishing communities and livelihoods.

The equipment includes five mini-flail machines, which can help deminers to assess and release land for resettlement up to 10 times faster than manual demining. Australia’s contribution will help speed the demining and resettlement process. Australia has also procured 320 hand held metal detectors, body armour and other equipment essential for manual demining of urban infrastructure and other areas which cannot be cleared with flails. Procurement of the equipment was undertaken by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

In handing the equipment to the Secretary Kumarasiri, High Commissioner Klugman said: “Demining is essential to enabling the resettlement, reconstruction and recovery effort in the North. Australia has listened carefully to the Government’s needs in this area and I am pleased that today we have been able make this important contribution. This equipment will make a real difference to the lives of thousands of displaced people waiting to return to their home towns and villages in the former conflict area.”

Australia has contributed more than LKR800 million to support demining in Sri Lanka since June 2009. In addition to supporting the Government’s humanitarian demining unit, Australia has provided over LKR300 million to two of the Government’s demining partners, the Mine Advisory Group and the Swiss demining agency FSD, doing important work in cooperation with the Government’s mine clearance effort in the North.


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