Landmines injure forty two in Jaffna - UNDP

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 December 2000, 16:45 GMT]
Forty two civilians in Jaffna lost their limbs to land mines this year said Mr. Elmo Fernando, Director for Mine Clearing Operations funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

A total of 112 civilians, including 5 school-age children were injured in Jaffna due to landmines during the last three years. Majority of the incidents took place in Kopay district.

Under the UNDP mine clearing operations more than 1000 warning signs were placed in different regions considered dangerous from buried mines. The high injury rate is attributed to the failure by the civilians to take these warnings seriously.

Due to land mine incidents many have lost their limbs but no one has been killed, Elmo Fernando further said.

The Mine Clearing Program in Jaffna has been successful in clearing several areas of mines.

However, the Program has now been suspended due to practical difficulties from the ongoing war.