Sri Lanka
Hazardous and uninhabitable land
After nearly thirty years of civil war, Sri Lanka was, in 2002, one of the countries most affected in the world by landmines and unexploded ordnance. The ceasefire signed that year revealed the scale of the problem: millions of square metres of agricultural land, mainly in the north and east, remained dangerous and uninhabitable. In response, the first humanitarian demining operations were launched to secure rural areas and enable the gradual return of displaced communities.
A large-scale demining programme
Between 2002 and 2013, FSD carried out a large-scale programme by strengthening the capacities of Sri Lanka’s National Mine Action Authority and clearing extensively contaminated areas. More than 700 deminers were trained and deployed, supported by several ground-preparation machines.
FSD also conducted risk education sessions on the dangers of landmines, particularly during the resumption of hostilities in 2006.
After the 2004 tsunami, the organisation temporarily suspended its demining activities to redirect its teams and resources to emergency humanitarian aid, assisting with the transport and distribution of food and essential supplies.
Enabling the return of displaced communities
Clearing access to essential resources was a priority for FSD, particularly by securing wells so that local communities could obtain water and displaced populations could return home. To achieve this, FSD worked closely with the Regional Mine Action Office and the Sri Lanka Electricity Board. More than 500,000 explosive remnants were neutralised and millions of square metres of land cleared, allowing thousands of people to return to a safe environment and rebuild their lives.
For nearly 30 years, FSD has been working to make land safer. Explore the key milestones of our humanitarian work since our first demining operation in 1998.
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