Japan has turned down a request from Milinda Moragoda Institute for People’s Empowerment (MMIPE) for additional funds for two Indian mine clearing organisations - Sarvatra and Horizon, well informed sources said. Japanese officials had said that they were not satisfied with what they called the quality of mine clearing carried out by the two Indian NGOs.

The sources said MMIPE had requested a sum of US$ 4,345,000 from the Japanese. The sources said the MMIPE had sought US$ 815,100 for itself , US $ 1.82 million for Sarvatra and US$ 1.71 million for Horizon. The Japanese had said the two NGOs were not observing international standards in mine clearance.

“The UNDP has been asked to help the two NGOs to improve their standard,” the sources said. The Norwegians were also taking action to help the Indian NGOs to improve their capabilities and standards.

The Sri Lankan Government is in the process of clearing the North and East of mines. This is done with international help.

There are 500,000 mines in the Jaffna district while another 1.5 million mines in the Vanni. The Sri Lanka Army has maps for an estimated 3008 mine fields in which there are around one million land mines, sources pointed out. The mine clearance program has been undertaken by the Sri Lanka army together with international NGOs. which include the two NGOs manned by retired Indian Army personnel.

The Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), Mine Action Group (MAG - British), Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD), HALO Trust (British), Japanese Centre for Conflict Prevention (JCCP), Danish Deminnig Group (DDG), Sarvatra (Indian) and HORIZON (Indian) are active here.

They pointed out that the Sri Lanka Army was being trained by RONCO with US assistance. The army will have 600 local deminers by next month (August). 300 have already been trained. Sources pointed out that the NPA and the MAG have trained around 900 locals as deminers while the DDG and the FSD have local deminers working with them.

However, in the cases of Sarvatra and Horizon all deminers are retired Indian Army personnel. “These two NGOs have trained some locals who are yet to be utilised. Horizon has endeavoured to use some of them in batches of three and four in Mannar. The Two Indian NGOs are working in partnership with the Milinda Moragoda Institute for People’s Empowerment, sources claimed. They earlier worked in the Vavuniya district and completed 12,000 square meters of metal clearance.

“Around 16 expatriates serve as technical advisors and program managers to these international groups.

Secretary to the National Steering Committee on Mine Action (NSCMA) Dr. A. S. Kunasingham when contacted said that an estimated 200,000 mines had been cleared by the international NGOs and the Sri Lanka Army. “The Army is a pioneer in mine clearance work,” he claimed.

Kunasingham pledged that the government was fully committed to meeting its target of mine clearance by 2006. He pointed out that in addition to those working with the army there were another 2,000 locals involved in mine clearance work with international mine clearing organisations.

“The Japanese government too have accepted in principle to fund a demining unit of 600 local deminers. The Unit, he said would be established under the Ministry of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in the near future.