The Governor of the Northern Province Hon. N. Vethanayahan instructed that mine clearance activities should be further expedited to facilitate the resettlement of people, livelihood development and the rapidly progressing tourism-related development projects in the Northern Province.
A special discussion on the mine clearance activities being carried out in the Northern Province and their current progress was held successfully today – on Friday, 21 August 2026, at the Northern Province Governor’s Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Hon. Governor.
Speaking further at the discussion, the Governor stated,
“One of the continuing expectations of this Government, led by His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is to make the country a mine-free country by 2032. A large number of mines are still found in the Northern Province, particularly in the Muhamalai area, which was heavily affected during the war. While one part of the area has been completely cleared, priority should be given to clearing mines from the remaining private lands as well, for the resettlement of people and livelihood activities.
Furthermore, the Government is giving high priority to improving infrastructure facilities and the tourism sector. Therefore, it is very essential to identify such development zones and confirm that they are mine free areas. Moreover, while substantial funds have been allocated for the rehabilitation of irrigation tanks, mine clearance activities should also be carried out in the catchment areas located in the forest areas surrounding those tanks to ensure safety. As those areas are under the control of the Department of Forest Conservation of Sri Lanka, the relevant action should be taken by contacting the Conservator General of the Department of Forest Conservation of Sri Lanka regarding the use of mine clearance machinery there” he emphasized.
During this, the Deputy Director of the National Mine Action Center stated that 250 million US Dollars had been spent on mine clearance activities during the period from 2010 to 2025. Officials further noted that 252 personnel were injured during mine clearance activities in 2002, while only 2 personnel had been injured during the long period from 2002 to 2025 thereafter, and that this demonstrates the safe and progressive status of the mine clearance operation.
The Government has declared the districts of Mannar, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu in the Northern Province as coconut triangle zones and is actively engaged in coconut cultivation. Therefore, the Governor instructed that mine clearance activities should also be expedited in the areas identified for coconut production, and that the Assistant General Manager of the Coconut Cultivation Board should coordinate and work with the mine clearance organizations on this matter.
In response to the Governor’s request to expedite mine clearance activities in the areas around Muhamalai and Kurinjatheevu, the Project Manager of HALO Trust assured that mine clearance activities in Muhamalai would be fully completed towards the end of 2027. In addition, as the Government is rapidly advancing activities to expand the tourism sector in the Gowtharimunai area, which is visited by a large number of tourists, the Governor requested that mine clearance activities also be expedited in the areas surrounding Gowtharimunai.
The Deputy Director of the National Mine Action Center, the Secretary to the Governor of the Northern Province, the District Secretary of Mannar, the Additional District Secretary (Land) of Mullaitivu District, the Director Planning of the Jaffna District Secretariat, the Provincial Director of the Irrigation Department – Northern Province, the Head of the Field Engineering Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army Humanitarian Mine Action Unit, and several officials including the regional managers of the mine clearance organizations MAG, HALO Trust, DASH and SHARP participated in this discussion.
