VIDEO: While de-mining, armaments too being unearthed: Maj. Gen. Prasanna Silva

The government is fully committed to and is engaged in de-mining the war affected northern regions like Mullaitivu. Once de-mining is completed, those wishing to assist the government in resettling the displaced could do so, said Mullaitivu Security Forces Commander Major General Prasanna Silva.

The main obstacle to the resettlement process is the presence of land mines, booby traps and unexploded bombs. They have been randomly laid by the retreating Tiger cadres during the final stages of the battles. The Sri Lanka Army personnel have to proceed very cautiously to detect these, Maj. Gen. Silva told the journalist from AdaDerana who visited the area.

Elaborating on the process, the Major General said that once an area was cleared of explosives, it comes under inspection of the government authorities as well as other international organisations like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Special attention has to be paid to areas where the LTTE put up huge earth bunds to slow the progress of the security forces as the areas around them have been indiscriminately mined by the Tigers. Resettlement cannot go ahead until these are cleared, said Maj. Gen. Prasanna Silva.

On what happens after an area is cleared, the Mullaitivu SF Commander said that the government gets the fullest cooperation of the security forces personnel to set up the necessary infrastructure like schools, hospitals, offices and even houses for the resettled, while the forces also clean or sink fresh wells for drinking water.

Most of these had been destroyed in the crossfire between the Tigers and the military. The government is committed to rebuilding these areas and resettling the displaced while providing for their livelihoods, Major General Silva added.