Japan grants US$ 785,000 for demining in Northern Sri Lanka

The government of Japan has granted an additional US$ 785,000 to support Sri Lankan government's efforts to demine the war-battered northern region.
The Rs. 89 million grant, administered through the mine-clearing non-governmental organization HALO Trust, will expedite the efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka to achieve a mine-free Sri Lanka, a press statement from the Embassy of Japan in Colombo said. Ambassador of Japan Nobuhito Hobo and Programme Manager of the HALO Trust Adam Jasinski have signed the grant contract today (16) at the Ambassador's residence in Colombo. Accepting the grant Mr. Jasinski, has said the grant will allow the HALO Trust to employ 200 local deminers and focus on clearing high-priority minefields in Kilinochchi and Jaffna Districts. Japan has been a major donor supporting mine clearance in Sri Lanka to accelerate the return and resettlement of Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) and to facilitate recommencement of agriculture and other livelihood activities of returnees. including this project, Japan this year has granted over a total of US$ 2.2 million (around Rs. 250 million) aid for mine clearance through the HALO Trust, Delvon Assistance for Social Harmony Sri Lanka (DASH) and Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD). Since 2003, under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), Japan has provided an accumulated amount of US$ 23 million for demining activities in Sri Lanka's North and East.