More SLA mine fields destroyed in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 May 2001, 10:59 GMT]
A large number of anti-personnel landmine fields left behind by the Sri Lanka army were located and de-mined in twelve villages in the southern sector of the Vanni Western aid agency sources said Tuesday. They said that caches of mortar and artillery shells and explosives were also located and destroyed from these villages to ensure the safety of civilians who have begun to gradually resettle in this sector. The SLA was camped in the villages of the Vanni's southern sector from 1997 to November 1999.

The agency sources said that minefields and caches of shells and explosives were found and destroyed in the villages of Vignanakulam, Sannaasi Paranthan, Periyamadu, Mathiyamadu, Nayinamadu, Kulavisuttaan, Karadippulavu, Sinna Adampan, Maana Iluppai, Poovarasankulam, Nedunkerni south and Nedunkerni north.

The following were some of the items left behind by the SLA that were located in some villages and destroyed recently according a report in the Voice of Tigers Monday.

120 MM mortar shells - 8

81 MM mortar shells -89

60 MM mortar shells -62

40 MM shells-20

Artillery shells -5

Claymore mines-8

The radio said that the White Dove Movement that makes artificial limbs in the Vanni is conducting an awareness program in schools to impart knowledge about mines and the dangers they pose to children.

The campaign is specifically directed at school children because the SLA was camped in almost all the schools in the southern sector of the Vanni, which hence may still contain mines and explosives undetected by de-mining teams, agency, the sources said.