Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Civil War, which lasted for close to three decades, ended in 2009, claiming the lives of around 80,000 people and leaving a legacy of more than a million landmines in the north of the country. 

Hundreds of thousands of civilians were forced to flee their homes, either because of fighting or because landmines made it too dangerous for them to stay. According to Landmine Monitor, over 20,000 people have been killed or injured by landmines and other explosives.

Even 15 years on from the end of the war, many families still cannot return home because their land is not safe. Much progress has been made to clear the landmines but there is still more work to be done if Sri Lanka is to become ‘mine free’ by 2028.

HALO is the largest mine clearance organisation in the country, employing 1,200 local people, most of them once displaced by the conflict themselves. Around 40 per cent of HALO’s Sri Lankan staff are women, in areas where there are many female-headed households following the civil war. HALO is the second-largest employer in the Northern Province and has been working there since 2002.

Our efforts are focused on helping Sri Lanka become mine-free, by clearing landmines and other explosives in the Jaffna peninsula, Kilinochchi, and Mullaitivu. HALO has already safely destroyed over one million items of explosive ordnance, including over a quarter of a million anti-personnel mines, and our land clearance work has allowed over 280,000 displaced people to return home. 

Currently HALO is destroying around 1,000 mines every month, both by hand and through the use of mechanised equipment such as remote-controlled flails and armoured front-loaders. There is approximately 20km² of known contaminated land left, with the whole mine action sector clearing around 5.5km² per year.

HALO has begun a major employee transition project that will prepare staff for a successful working future once Sri Lanka is mine free. All staff, from deminers and medics to drivers and mechanics, have the opportunity to acquire transferable skills and qualifications.

Rishika is five years old. She is pictured here with her class at St Thoma Church, which is used as a primary school during the week. The catholic church was built on land cleared by HALO and the school now has 34 boys and girls on the roll, able to learn and play safely.