§ Angus Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how many (a)casualties and (b)injuries were recorded in Sri Lanka due to (i) mines and (ii) de-mining operations in each month since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [131790]
117W(2) what assistance the Department has provided in each year since 1997 to de-mining operations in Sri Lanka; what de-mining projects in Sri Lanka are directly run by the Department; what assistance the Department has sought from the Ministry of Defence for de-mining operations in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement. [131791]
Mr. Gareth Thomas:The recorded number of fatalities and injuries caused by land mines in Sri Lanka since 1997 are as follows:
Fatalities Injuries 1997 12 105 1998 3 70 1999 7 77 2000 18 148 2001 22 179 2002 27 116 2003 11 40 Total 100 735 Since 1997 there has been one recorded casualty resulting from de-mining activities. The significant decrease in injuries and deaths from mines in 2003 is extremely welcome.
DFID has provided support for de-mining operations since the ceasefire between the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka came into effect last year. DFID has a two-year agreement with UNDP until the end of 2004 for support to de-mining operations. Under this, £697,000 from the allocated £2.6 million for quick impact activities in the North and East of Sri Lanka will be used to fund the early part of UNDP's 2003–06 mine action programme. This funding was approved in 2002. Further needs assessments are under way and we stand ready to make further commitments if necessary. DFID does not directly run any de-mining projects in Sri Lanka and has therefore not sought technical advice from the Ministry of Defence. However, DFID liaises closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on our development programme to Sri Lanka.