Today, the Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines (SLCBL) met the
Director of the National Mine Action Center (NMAC) of Sri Lanka and Secretary
to the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing W.S. Sathyananda at the
Ministry and presented a translated version (Sinhala and Tamil) of Sri
Lanka's section of Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor 2022.
During the launch, the SLCBL discussed the success of Sri
Lanka’s mine action story, as well as important steps that need to be taken to
declare Sri Lanka a mine-free country. The SLCBL urged the Secretary to
consider the positive implications of the Anti-Personal Mine Ban Convention
(APMBC), Convention on Cluster Munition (CCM) and the Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), especially when supported with local
legislation.
During the discussion with the Secretary and officials
of the NMAC, the SLCBL stressed the importance and mine-clearance well before 2028,
meeting the 10-year obligation under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.
Sri Lanka in a process of finalizing and launching the National Mine Action
Strategy 2023-2028 soon with the support of Geneva International Center for
Humanitarian Disarmament (GICHD).
The participants on this occasion included: V. Premachandran Deputy Director
NMAC; Rohana Jayalath IMSMA (Information Management System for Mine Action)
Officer at NMAC; Vidya Abhayagunawardena Coordinator SLCBL and Nimaya
Dahanayake, Youth Campaigner SLCBL. The translation work of the Landmine and
Cluster Munition Monitor was supported by the Investing in Action, a project of
the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munition Coalitions.
Click the link below to access the Landmine Monitor:
English- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YPvZadodTyw2i-7ge2i8WOvnjhgkfx2_/view?usp=share_link
Sinhala- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DD3BDgbdkrs-KyT-twdw2Kw43V3nAA5_/view?usp=share_link
Tamil- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TtA_-7g7NQnaPEwNje40FumpHfh5AoHu/view?usp=share_link
