By Stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel land mines have been banned by the lawmakers of the country. Justice Minister Ali Sabry was able to get the law enacted without a vote.
During the 30-year civil war, the warring fractions both were accused of using landmines. The new law outlaws the production, use or transfer of land mines, except for training military and police personnel in mine detection, clearance, deactivation, and destruction.
Violations can be penalized by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of approximately $2,500.
The government said in 2016 that 22,100 people were killed or injured by land mines or explosive remnants of the war.
The North:
The northern areas of Sri Lanka are one of the heaviest concentrations of landmines.
Demining work is dangerous, expensive, time-consuming, and incredibly complex. Hundreds of thousands of mines have already been cleared, in efforts largely funded by the United States, Germany, Japan, Norway, Australia, and the United Kingdom
