U.S. donates trucks and equipment worth $500,000 to the Sri Lankan Army Humanitarian Demining Unit

The United States Embassy in Colombo today delivered the first consignment of the demining assistance by the United States Government to the Sri Lankan Army Humanitarian Unit, an Embassy press release said.


In a simple ceremony on the U.S. Embassy premises the Charge' d'Affaires Valerie C. Fowler handed over four trucks with their respective demining equipment to the Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya.


Issuing the statement, the Embassy said the new donation of vehicles worth $500,000 comes from the people of the United States to the people of Sri Lanka to be used by the Humanitarian Demining Unit of the Sri Lankan Army in its critical demining work in resettlement areas in the North.
In addition to the four trucks, the U.S. donation includes five land-cruiser ambulances completely stocked with medical equipment and gurneys. The new ambulances will ensure that the Army's demining teams have emergency medical care and transportation available right at their work sites at all times. The donation from the United States Government also includes seven large Tata troop transport trucks. Both the ambulances and transport trucks will arrive in Sri Lanka in the next few months.
"Altogether this means the United States will have donated over $11 million in demining funding and equipment in the eighteen months since the end of the war. We appreciate the tremendous importance of the Sri Lankan Army's humanitarian demining work, and we are excited about the partnership these trucks represent, a partnership that enhances the resources of the Sri Lankan military's efforts to provide a better life for all Sri Lankans, whatever their religion, ethnic background, or economic situation," speaking at the event Ms. Fowler has said.
She also has used this opportunity to announce the authorization by the U.S. Congress of another $1 million for additional demining equipment for the Sri Lankan Military under the Foreign Military Financing program.
Speaking on behalf of the Sri Lanka Army and the government of Sri Lanka the Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya thanked the people and the government of United States for the assistance provided towards Sri Lanka's demining efforts.
The assistance from the U.S. Government to the Sri Lankan Army Humanitarian Demining Unit is part of the ongoing commitment to helping Sri Lanka foster reconstruction in the North and East, create diverse economic development island-wide, assist the return of IDPs to former conflict areas, and enable the returnees to resume their livelihoods.