Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2019-03-26

Declaring Sri Lanka as a Mine Free Country and providing the victims with the necessary support

- As a result of the conflict which prevailed in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, it has been identified that there are around 3,000 victims who have been affected with Anti-Personnel Mines and Explosive Remnants of war. In addition to providing them with the necessary first-aid and medical care, the Government, being a signatory to the Ottawa Convention on the prohibition of the use of anti-personnel mines, is committed to providing the victims with the further necessary support. The measures taken by Sri Lanka, for the significant achievement of making the place mine free, leaving only an area of 25 sq.km. out of the suspected hazardous area which is about 1,302 sq.km., is internationally acclaimed. As such, the proposal made by Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe, the Prime Minister and Minister of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement & Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs, to expedite the national programme on mines in order to take action to clear mines from the suspected areas with remaining mines and to implement programmes to ensure sustainable livelihood support of those who have been affected by land mines, with a view to making Sri Lanka a mine free country by 2020, was approved by the Cabinet.