Another meeting on linking the railway line to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) was held at the Sri Lanka Railway Department Headquarters today. The Chairman and Officers of the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Ltd , Sri Lanka Railway and FDD were among the participants at today’s meeting.

Today, Forum on Disarmament and Development (FDD) participated in another meeting organized by the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Pvt) Ltd—on linking the railway line to the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) with the officials of the Railway Department, Board of Investment (BoI) and other relevant government agencies. The meeting discussed various opportunities on linking the railway line to the BIA. After the meeting, FDD visited the existing railway line near the BIA with the officials of Sri Lanka Railway. The next meeting on the matter will be held later this month.

Today, the Sri Lanka Railway Department conducted a meeting on linking the Railway to the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake at the Railway Department Headquarters in Colombo. The discussion  mainly focused on starting the new connection from the BIA to the Fort Railway Station with available resources. 

The FDD pointed out that starting the project will benefit many sectors in various ways and help improve the country's overall human security. In the short term, due to the current fuel shortages in the country, transport service charges to the airport has increased significantly—which may be reduced if the train service is made available for travelling. 

The next round of discussions on the matter will take place at the Railway line located at the BIA this month. The FDD has been engaging with the Government and advocating on the matter for several years, and ongoing discussions are very positive from both parties; the Railway Department and Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Pvt) Ltd on linking the railway line to the BIA. 

Today’s discussion was attended by W. A. D. S. Gunasinghe,  General Manager Railway; Gamini Seneviratne, Deputy General Manager Railway; Maj. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri, Chairman, Airport and Aviation Services (participated over the phone); Renuka Weerasinghe, Airport and Aviation Services; Vidya Abhayagunawardena Coordinator, FDD and other senior officials of the Railway Department.

The youth campaigners of the Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines (SLCBL) had the opportunity to participate in the Mine Action Fellows Forum organized by the Mines Action Canada alongside the 10th Meeting of States Parties of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, at the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland from 29^th August to 2^nd September.

As Mine Action Fellows, they were able to learn about the work of their peers at the Forum, and speak to delegations from around the world, focusing particularly on the importance of the #universalization of the Convention.

The fellows took a strong stance against the use of cluster munitions by anyone, anywhere and urged governments to join the Convention and fulfill the obligations of the Convention. The fellows delivered their statement on the 2^nd September during the 10th Meeting of States Parties of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.