At the annual ‘Clearing the Path’ Gala 2016 organized by The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) of Washington D.C., Mine Detection Dog (MDD) Alvin and its handler Lance Corporal Nawarathne of the Sri Lanka Army Engineers Humanitarian Demining Unit, were selected as the MDD team of the year.
The Marshall Legacy Institute, an organization dedicated to ‘removing landmines and promoting stability’ has been assisting the Sri Lanka Army Humanitarian Demining Unit to clear landmines and explosive devices from affected regions in Sri Lanka. Over the years, MLI has provided 26 Mine Detection Dogs and training with the assistance of private donors and the US Department of State.
The Sri Lankan Mine Detection Team led by Brigade Commander of Sri Lanka Army Engineers Humanitarian Demining Unit, Brigadier Amith Senevirathna, the mine detection dog Alvin and its handler were recognized for their contribution to the successful demining efforts in Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Susan Rice, National Security Advisor of the United States, was the keynote speaker. Senator Mike Enzi and General Gordon Russell Sullivan were also present.
Introducing the Sri Lankan Mine Detection and Removal Team at this event, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the USA, Prasad Kariyawasam said, “My country was heavily contaminated with mines and other improvised explosive devices due to nearly three decades of armed conflict between government forces and the LTTE.”
“This terrible conflict ended in 2009 with the comprehensive defeat of the LTTE, which has been identified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States. But uncleared mines and unexploded explosives have posed a formidable challenge to the well-being of the people, especially in the north of Sri Lanka,” he said.
“Sri Lanka is now happy to announce that seven years since the end of the conflict, 92% of the mine infected land has been cleared and declared suitable for human habitation and use,” the Ambassador said.
“This, compared with other mine and unexploded ordinance infected countries in the world, is a major achievement in terms of speed of clearance of unexploded explosives. A substantial part of the credit for this success must go to the MDD teams working in Sri Lanka,” he said.