Protecting Lives and Mending Fences
Villagers from Tamil and Sinhala communities joined together to build relationships and make their communities safer.
Sri Lanka's three-decade ethnic conflict left behind landmines, unexploded ordinance, and improvised explosive devices in communities across the North. This legacy not only imperils citizens but also threatens livelihoods by limiting access to private and agricultural lands. In addition, these remnants of war continue to separate communities that found themselves on opposite sides of the conflict.
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| Cash for Work teams in Madhu installed more than 6 km of fencing to reduce risks from landmines.
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To promote reconciliation in the war-torn North, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) supported the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) to bring different ethnic groups together to demarcate landmine risk areas in Madhu in Mannar District. The project facilitated dialogue and collaboration between Tamil and Sinhala communities and engaged recently returned residents to work side by side to establish access to land blocked by a minefield.
After consulting with the groups, MAG's demining experts cleared two corridors through the minefield. Cash for Work teams composed of local Tamils and Sinhalese then fenced the areas to establish safe passageways that both communities can use.
The OTI-supported teams successfully installed more than
6 km of fencing to reduce risks from landmines, and the activity provided the Tamil and Sinhala residents with their first opportunity in decades to work together, share meals, and make Madhu a safer place to live.
Cash for Work participant A. Kumarasiri returned to Madhu after 30 years in exile. He said, "It is nice to have diversity. There are Sinhalese and Tamils. I'm Sinhalese but I speak perfect Tamil, and I have no problem working shoulder to shoulder with my Tamil friends. This is how we used to live in the bygone days."
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To improve community safety, Tamil and Sinhala villagers worked together to demarcate areas contaminated by landmines, as the war left behind a dangerous legacy. The collaboration, however, is creating new legacy of forgiveness and renewed hope.
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Another worker said, "This has been an unforgettable experience for us to work together without looking at differences of cast, gender, or ethnicity." It was a sentiment repeated over and over when participants gathered for a project windup meeting.
Demining productive land in the North and helping displaced communities return safely home promotes post-war development in Sri Lanka and provides groups once separated by battle lines with opportunities to work together to build strong communities. Through this project, the citizens of Madhu mended fences and began creating a future where they can live together peacefully.
For further information, please contact:
K. Santi Duewel, Asia & Middle East Program Manager, 202-712-1605, kduewel@usaid.gov.
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