UNICEF funds mine education programme in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 December 2003, 17:52 GMT]
"Venpura" (White Pigeon) Technical Institute of Prosthesis in Trincomalee has launched a Mine Risk Education (MRE) programme in twenty villages in the district with the funding of the UNICEF, said its Co-ordinator Mr. M.J.Wilfred.

Trincomalee White Pigeon Technical Institute of Prosthesis Co-ordinator Mr.M.J.Wilfred

UNICEF has agreed to provide two million rupees for the implementation of the MRE programme in villages in Trincomalee district where resettlement of internally displaced people has been taking place with the signing of the ceasefire agreement by the Government of Sri Lanka and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Mr. Wilfred said.

The MRE programme, which commenced in November this year, would be completed by November next year, he said.

Six field officers specially trained in mine risk education at Sarvodhaya Centre in Batticaloa by the UNICEF have been employed to take forward the MRE programme in the Trincomalee district, he added.

The field officers weill visit each house, school and public and private sector institutions in the selected villages and will educate the residents and others on techniques to identify unexploded ordnance found in their areas and to provide timely information to authorities so that mines can be removed without harming anyone, UNICEF sources said

Trincomalee White Pigeon Technical Institute of Prosthesis field officers are currently involved in MRE programme in resettled villages of Kuchchaveli, Thiriyai, Nilaveli and refugee camps in Ales Garden area, sources said.

Five unexploded ordnance were recovered recently in Thiriyai village where resettlement of IDPs is taking place, sources said.