Ambassador of Japan – Mr. Mizukoshi Hideaki, today (Aug. 22) signed the grant contracts of two demining projects under the scheme of “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP)”, with Major Gen. (retd) Mr. Sumathi Ranjan Balasuriya, Director & Field Reporting Officer of the Skavita Humanitarian Assistance and Relief Project (SHARP) and Mr. Ananda Chandrasiri, Director & Program Manager of the Delvon Assistance for Social Harmony (DASH).

The Government of Japan has provided a total sum of US$ 1,007,194 (approx. Rs. 300 million) for these two projects with SHARP and the DASH to extend its support for humanitarian demining activities in the Northern province of Sri Lanka. Japan has been a major donor in demining activities in Sri Lanka since 2002, and the total amount of assistance exceeds USD 46 million.

It is expected that these projects by SHARP and DASH will together contribute to resettlement and livelihood support for a total of 6,304 beneficiaries in the Northern province.

The development of the conflict-affected areas is one of the priority areas of Japan’s official development assistance policy to Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Mizukoshi strongly reiterated that the Government of Japan had committed itself in its role as a leading donor in demining activities and would continue to provide the necessary support to achieve “Mine-Impact-Free Sri Lanka.” 
Commenting on the provision of this grant, Mr. Sumathi Ranjan Balasuriya, Director & Field Reporting Officer of SHARP, stated;
“SHARP is most grateful to and deeply appreciative of the Japanese Embassy for the trust and confidence placed in SHARP since the commencement of its demining operations in 2016 to date.
As of July 2024, in support of grant assistance from the Government of Japan, SHARP has cleared a total of 2,846,650㎡ and recovered 11,889 anti-personnel mines, 169 anti-tank mines, 4,666 Unexploded Ordnance and over 57,773 Small Arms Ammunition with over 3,318 families directly and indirectly benefitted. Japan’s assistance accounts for over 90% of the total cleared lands by SHARP.

SHARP will continue to carry out our operations to the best of our ability diligently, efficiently and effectively, fully co-operating with the Embassy of Japan and all other agencies to completely justify the funds provided and fulfil the desires of our sponsors.

The heartfelt gratitude and thanks from all members of SHARP is conveyed to all the people of Japan, for their unstinting support for SHARP, and more so ever for the Embassy of Japan being in the forefront of demining activities in Sri Lanka and their continuous concern, cooperation and assistance for the well-being of the people of Sri Lanka.”Mr. Ananda Chandrasiri, Director & Program Manager of DASH, stated;
“It has been a precious assistance extended by Japan to Sri Lanka throughout their cohesive friendship over 7 decades. Japan has been a major supporter to the national mine action program of Sri Lanka from its inception in 2002, and it was with the funding assistance of Japan our organization DASH, commenced its operations in 2010. We are very grateful to Japan and her people.
As of August 2024, in support of grant assistance from the Government of Japan, DASH has cleared a total of 7,546,161㎡ and recovered 55,907 anti-personnel mines, 113 anti-tank mines, 14,073 Unexploded Ordnance and over 77,004 Small Arms Ammunition with directly and indirectly 110,842 people benefitted.
A lesser-known tragedy that resulted from the 26-year protracted internal conflict of Sri Lanka from 1983 has been landmine and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) contamination in the northern areas. Although a large part of it has been cleared by now, it will take a few more years to make Sri Lanka mine and ERW-free. The clearance undertaken by the Japan-funded DASH project has strongly contributed to re-establish the safety and sustainable economy for the resettled people and infrastructure development of their areas”.