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New version of 'snakes and ladders game'

One of the ingenious methods to educate children about the dangers of landmines and unexploded ordnance devised by the Venpura (White Pigeon) organisation is this derivative of the well-known snakes and ladders game.

After two decades of high-intensity conflict in the Tamil areas, up to two million landmines and unexploded grenades, mortars and artillery shells litter several parts of the North and East. For example, despite years of efforts by de-miners sponsored by the United Nations and the United States military de-mining team, large tracts of land belonging to displaced families in Jaffna are infested with many types of land mines and unexploded ordnance. The Humanitarian De-mining Unit (HDU) of the Liberation Tigers have been clearing many towns, villages and thousands of acres of land of mines with basic implements and limited resources. As large numbers of refugees and internally displaced people return to their shattered towns and villages, hidden dangers threaten life and limb. This contemporary derivative of the well known snakes and ladders game outlines the dangers posed by various types of landmines and unexploded ordnance and the appropriate action on their discovery. [94] Thousands of people have lost legs and arms after stepping on anti-personnel mines. Within its tiny budget Venpura provides wheel chairs to the most needy. [82] Hundreds of thousands of small arms rounds, typically the 7.62mm AK cartridges used in most rifles and light machine guns in the island, also pose a danger, particularly when struck. [90] But larger, more powerful weapons like the ubiquitous Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG), used to destroy vehicles and bunkers, pose a greater risk, when left behind with its launcher like this one, or, as is more likely the case, if it fails to explode once fired. [77] The threat posed by 'Jony' mines, a small improvised landmine capable of blowing off a victim's foot and lower leg, diminishes as the batteries in them disintegrate with age. The last of this type, which has a life of 10-12 months was laid in 2001. [44, 49] Thousands of unexploded mortar bombs, identified by the guiding fins, and artillery shells remain in the heavily contested areas of the North and East. If disturbed, by playing children for example, these powerful projectiles which have a wide blast area, could inflict heavy casualties. [40] When unexploded munitions can be dangerous if they are thrown into fire while disposing of garbage or clearing vegetation. [27] Half buried projectiles like this mortar round can arouse the curiosity of children, with lethal consequences. [13] Even children aware of the explosive nature of such devices are tempted to investigate these, albeit from afar, with un-fortunate consequences. [17] Children are being taught to avoid touching objects resembling unexploded ordnance and [34] to stop others from doing so also. [35, 51, 83] Improvised barriers erected around located mines and un-exploded ordnance can protect others until demining teams destroy these safely [48, 62] as can signs warning of the present danger. [76] Most importantly, people are advised not to stray from cleared and identified safe paths through minefields and former battlefields.

Venpura was registered as a social service organization in 1996, and in its early days depended for financial support on proceeds from cultural programs, local donors and collections from Temples. Offices of Venpura are now located in Konavil, Kullapiddy, Karadipokku junction and Puthukkudiyirippu. The organisation has expanded its rehabilitation services to include mine clearing. The organization has been very effective in educating the public and school children on the precautions to be taken to avoid becoming victims to land mines.

Contrary to popular perceptions, local NGOs in Jaffna say that international organisations are doing little to make the mined areas of the peninsula safe for civilians, claiming that work on removing mines will necessarily be slow because bureaucratic international standards have to be maintained. Thousands of acres of fertile agricultural land still remain out of bounds for resettling communities because deminers have to carefully scour every inch of the soil to locate the hidden devices.

There are numerous impediments to making the northeast mine-free, including a shortage of funds, the reluctance of international donors to fund the LTTE's HDU directly, the very slow pace of international de-mining work. But the biggest obstacle is the lack of knowledge about the location of mine fields. The Sri Lanka refused to provide the maps of minefields in the areas it pulled out of.

The United Nations deminers spent more than 300 million rupees to de-mine about 998 land mines and 384 UXOs in an area of 23000 sq. metres in Jaffna from April to December 2000. The work received much publicity in the Colombo press at the time. During the same period the nascent HDU removed 40000 mines with a basic three-pronged implement in an area of 36.7 million square metres with a budget of less than 2 million rupees. The HDU has removed and destroyed 96500 mines and 72000 UXOs in the Vanni since it was formed in April 2000.