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Sri Lanka
Support for Mine Action
In 2009 seven donor states, UNDP, and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) contributed US$24,806,090 for mine clearance and risk education. This represents more than a 200% increase from 2008 and is the highest amount since 2005. The increase in funding is a direct result of the end of conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in May 2009. No contributions for victim assistance were reported for 2009.
India has contributed to mine action in Sri Lanka since 2003. In August 2009 India announced it would send 80 deminers to Sri Lanka through the Sarvatra and Horizon, two Indian NGOs working in Sri Lanka.[1]
The Sri Lanka Army has never reported the costs associated with maintaining its 1,000 deminers. It was reported in July 2010 that the government spent LKR2.18 billion ($19,009,600)[2] on mine clearance in 2009 including the purchase of 29 Bozena flail machines by the Economic Development Ministry for $13 million.[3] UNHCR provided $5 million in 2009 for the purchase of 10 flail machines.[4]
International contributions: 2009[5]
|
Donor |
Sector |
Amount (national currency) |
Amount ($) |
|
United States |
Clearance |
$6,700,000 |
6,700,000 |
|
Australia |
Clearance, risk education |
A$7,931,640 |
6,287,411 |
|
UNHCR |
Clearance |
$5,000,000 |
5,000,000 |
|
Japan |
Clearance |
¥219,074,000 |
2,337,520 |
|
UNDP |
Clearance |
$1,587,196 |
1,587,196 |
|
United Kingdom |
Clearance |
£928,081 |
1,453,468 |
|
Canada |
Clearance, risk education |
C$1,025,000 |
898,177 |
|
Germany |
Clearance |
€283,450 |
394,988 |
|
Switzerland |
Clearance |
CHF160,000 |
147,330 |
|
Total |
|
|
24,806,090 |
Summary of contributions: 2005–2009[6]
|
Year |
Amount ($) |
|
2009 |
24,806,090 |
|
2008 |
8,173,696 |
|
2007 |
7,586,350 |
|
2006 |
9,932,574 |
|
2005 |
19,045,929 |
|
Total |
69,544,639 |
[1] Sarvatra, “About us,” www.sarvatrademiners.org.
[2] Average exchange rate for 2009: LKR1=US$0.00872. Oanda, www.oanda.com.
[3] Chaminda Perera, “Demining process expedited,” Daily News (Colombo), 14 July 2010, www.dailynews.lk. Average exchange rate for 2009: LKR1=US$0.00872. Oanda, www.oanda.com. Email from Reuben McCarthy, Conflict Prevention and Recovery Specialist, UNDP, 23 July 2010; and interview with Monty Ranatunga, Acting Director, National Mine Action Center, Colombo, 30 March 2010.
[4] Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva, “Sri Lanka obtains five million US dollars for de-mining,” Press release, 28 September 2009, www.reliefweb.int.
[5]Email from Klaus Koppetsch, Desk Officer, Mine Action Task Force for Humanitarian Aid, German Federal Foreign Office, 8 April 2010; response to Monitor questionnaire by Ira Amin, Intern, Multilateral Peace Policy Section, Directorate of Political Affairs, Political Affairs Division IV, Human Security, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, 20 April 2010; email from Miki Nagashima, Conventional Arms Division, Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Science Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 13 May 2010; Canada Article 7 Report (for the period 19 April 2009 to 20 April 2010), Form J; email from Derek Taylor, Acting Director, Iraq and Middle East Section, AusAID, 27 May 2010; email from Gerhard Zank, Southeast Asia Desk Officer, HALO Trust, 15 July 2010; email from Craig Nightingale, Finance Officer, Mines Advisory Group, 9 June 2010; email from Mark Fitzpatrick, Programme Manager, Department for International Development, 14 June 2010; Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva, “Sri Lanka obtains five million US dollars for de-mining,” Press release, 28 September 2009, www.reliefweb.int; and UNDP, “Support to Mine Action in Sri Lanka,” www.undp.lk. US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety 2010,” Washington, DC, July 2010. Average exchange rates for 2009: A$1=US$0.7927; ¥1=US$0.01067; £1=US$1.5661; C$=US$0.87627; €1=US$1.3935; CHF1=US$1.086. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 4 January 2010.
[6] See Landmine Monitor Report 2009, p. 1,121; Landmine Monitor Report 2008, pp. 1,030–1,031; Landmine Monitor Report 2007, p. 1,000; and Landmine Monitor Report 2006, p. 1,088.
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