The UN reported in February that, since the ceasefire 26 civilians have died and a further 100 people have been injured. Since 1996 nearly 1,000 civilians have been killed or injured. Around 25% of the casualties have been children hurt by unexplored ordnance. Half the injuries or deaths have occurred in the Jaffna peninsula. The casualties are expected to increase as internally displaced people (IDP) return to their home areas which are heavily mined. Over the years, many IDPs have been killed or wounded while attempting to clear their lands. British agency Halo Trust, which is currently involved in clearing landmines in the peninsula say that they have removed and destroyed 3,000 landmines and 450 other explosives since June 2002. According to the agency, it will take four years to make Jaffna safe from landmines.
The LTTE’s Humanitarian De-mining Bureau (HDB) say more than five years are needed to clear the Vanni of the estimated 1.5 million landmines in 1,570 sq km. HDB is said to have so far removed 96,500 landmines and 72,000 other devices in the Vanni. Seventeen paddy fields along the A9 Vavuniya-Jaffna road have been identified as containing landmines. Reports say that this will affect the repair of the road.