At the request of the Sri Lankan Government, FSD has deployed assets to support the return of approximately 50,000 IDPs to 27 GN Divisions in and around Mullaittivu town. Since February, our survey teams have worked jointly with the SLA to determine the areas of contamination in the region while other teams have conducted emergency fencing, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and mine risk education to provide protection for the IDPs as they return to the area. The survey is now 75% complete with safe areas being released for resettlement. Demining of the mined areas starts on May 5th focusing on the contamination near areas of habitation.

Five Mine Action Teams supported by ECHO have been recruited from the returnee population and trained in fencing and clearance techniques – One of the teams is staffed and run entirely by female deminers. As FSD builds its capacity in the region it expects to recruit more staff from the local area and anticipates having 50% of its capacity in Mullaittivu in the near future to deal with the 2.8km2 of contamination already identified during the survey.

In order to ensure safe return and resettlement of IDP’s in released areas, FSD has implemented a Community Liaison/Mine Risk Education programme funded by AusAID. These dedicated Community Liaison teams are supported by Explosive Ordnance rapid response teams and disseminate mine risk education messages among target populations, helping to reduce the impact of landmines on vulnerable groups.

In response to this close interaction with the community, 25 Anti personnel mines and 457 items of Unexploded Ordnance and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have been uncovered, left over or hidden by LTTE fleeing cadres during the last phase of combat in Mullaittivu. All these items have been located by the returnees during their resettlement, reported to FSD Community Liaison team and dealt with by the EOD personnel.

Additionally, large unexploded aircraft bombs have been located inside and in the immediate surroundings of the resettlement areas. So far, 3 of these items, which weigh up to 500kg each, have been defused and removed prior to the return of IDPs.

In summary, FSD’s operations in and around Mullaittivu are aimed at facilitating the safe return and resettlement of over 30,000 IDPs over the coming weeks. The clearance of the Confirmed Hazardous areas has already begun but is expected to last until the end of the year as more and more contamination is discovered.

FSD is jointly supported by the governments of USA, Japan, Australia and Germany, ECHO and SDC.

Community Liaison Activities	Emergency fencing/marking
Unexploded aircraft bomb ODAB 500 in Selvapuram GN, Mullaittivu District	Removal of the ODAB 500 defused by FSD EOD level 4 International staff