01 November 2002
U.S. Completes One Phase of Mine Removal Work in Sri Lanka
(Next phase involves training Sri Lankans in demining procedures)
(400)
The U.S.-sponsored Quick Reaction Demining Force has completed mine
removal operations in 123,000 square meters of land in northern Sri
Lanka, the State Department reported in a media note November 1.
The United States remains fully committed to supporting humanitarian
mine clearance in Sri Lanka, the media note added.
The next stage of demining will begin in early 2003 when the United
States will support the establishment of a humanitarian mine clearance
training program for Sri Lankan civilian and military personnel, the
note said.
Following is the text of the media note:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
November 1, 2002
MEDIA NOTE
SRI LANKA: U.S. DEMINING GROUP COMPLETES OPERATIONS
The United States Embassy in Sri Lanka has issued the following
statement:
A U.S.-sponsored Quick Reaction Demining Force (QRDF) completed its
work in Sri Lanka on October 25, 2002.
Invited by the Government of Sri Lanka and funded by the U.S.
Department of State, the QRDF team had been in Sri Lanka since last
April. On October 24-25 the team released nearly 123,000 square meters
of land, located in the Sarasalai area of Jaffna, to Sri Lankan
authorities.
This land has been cleared in compliance with exacting international
humanitarian demining standards, and cleared of 980 anti-personnel
mines and 42 pieces of unexploded ordnance. Additionally, the team
collected and destroyed numerous other pieces of unexploded ordnance
from elsewhere in the region, which had been brought to its attention
by local residents.
Mr. Murphey McCloy, Jr., the U.S. State Department's Senior Demining
Advisor, described the QRDF project as "slow, time-consuming work."
Now that it has been completed, however, "people can have confidence
that the areas in which we have worked have been demined to
international standards."
The U.S. remains fully committed to supporting humanitarian mine
clearance in Sri Lanka. In early 2003 - following the conclusion of
the northeast monsoon - the U.S. will support the next step in the
demining effort: establishing a humanitarian mine clearance training
program for Sri Lankan civilian and military personnel so that Sri
Lankans can continue the work in their own country.
Said U.S. Ambassador E. Ashley Wills of the demining effort: "The
American Embassy is proud to assist the people and Government of Sri
Lanka in this important step of rehabilitation and reconstruction,
which, in turn, will reinforce the peace process." Ambassador Wills
emphasized that demining, as well as the removal of unexploded
ordnance, is "for the benefit of all Sri Lankans: Tamil, Sinhalese,
and Muslim."
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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