From Bloodshed to Hope
Story by Parameswaran Panchadcharam, community liaison assistant
Picture the scene: a brother and sister laughing and playing games together near their home in Vellavely, Sri Lanka. There’s a moment’s silence then, in a split second, their laughter turns to screams as a landmine detonates beneath their feet.
The six-year-old girl, Nilojini, suffered horrific shrapnel wounds to her face, chest and throat, while her brother, Diloshan, aged eight, lost his arm in the explosion and sadly later died in hospital. This tragedy happened several months before MAG began work in the town.
During the conflict between the Sri Lankan Army and the Tamil Tigers the vast majority of inhabitants fled as the town was taken over by intense fighting. When the army withdrew and the community returned, the surrounding minefield had a severe impact on the townspeople’s ability to farm, herd cattle, raise goats and even walk to the edge of town without threat of injury or even death.
In response to this desperate humanitarian need, MAG deployed two Mine Action Teams (MATs) to the town and worked for six months to clear a massive 35,600 sq / m of land (the size of nine football pitches). This land is now safe and thankfully no further lives or limbs will be lost, due to the presence of landmines or bombs. In spite of the tragedy of the past the townspeople are able to farm, develop the land and resettle without fear. MAG has given the community of Vellavely a real sense of hope for the future.
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