In the final years of Sri Lanka’s Civil War—as the fighting spread through towns and villages—over 300,000 families were forced to leave their homes.
Karuppaijah Ginanasekaram was heavily pregnant with her second child when the village of Skandapuram became an open battleground. Fearing for their lives Karuppaijah, her husband Kamalajini and young daughter abandoned their home and grocery store, joining the thousands of other Sri Lankans displaced during the war.
Even when the fighting ended in 2009, the Ginanasekarams and many others in northern Sri Lanka could not return to their villages. Thousands of landmines had been laid by the retreating troops, including in the very centre of Skandapuram. Destitute, these families were living in crowded camps, creating an urgent need to resettle them safely.
FAMILIES LEFT HOMELESS BY THE WAR
Over 300,000 people were displaced during the final years of Sri Lanka's Civil War. Thousands of landmines were laid by retreating troops, making it too unsafe to return home.
SURVEY IS THE FIRST STEP TO RESETTLEMENT
By identifying the areas where landmines were laid and confirming safe land, HALO could prioritise clearing dangerous areas so families could resettle.
Survey is the first step towards resettlement, accurately identifying the areas where landmines and explosives lie—so we can prioritise resources for clearance and confirm safe land, allowing communities to return. Following survey work in Kilinochchi district, HALO cleared over 230,000 square metres around Skandapuram village and by 2011 had removed 1,141 mines. Resettlement began and the Ginanasekarams made the joyful return home.
Within a year, the once deserted village was flourishing, over 2,000 people had moved back, the market was bustling with life and the health centre, where six landmines had been discovered, had reopened its doors. Karuppaijah and Kamalajini were able to realise their dream of re-opening a small general store to support their growing family.
RETURNING HOME IN SKANDAPURAM
The Ginansekaram family photographed earlier this year. In 2008 they were forced to flee their home in Skandapuram village. Like thousands of families displaced during the war, they and could not return home until HALO cleared the mines left by the retreating troops.
RETURNING HOME IN MUHAMALAI
HALO has been working to clear the vast Muhamalai minefield since 2012. In December last year, land equivalent to 36 football pitches was returned to the community—allowing families to finally come home 20 years after they first fled.
Over the past 30 years, HALO has worked in countries from Afghanistan to Syria, clearing landmines and explosives—making land safe so that refugees can come home. In Sri Lanka alone, over 110,000 people have been able to return to areas declared safe by HALO. However, even today there are still families waiting, unable to go back to villages and towns contaminated by the explosive debris of war. With your support, we can help these people make the journey home and rebuild their lives as soon as possible.
