Digging Up The Johnnys

By Raisa Wickrematunge in Vavuniya  – Photos by Abdul H. Azeez

It is a strangely tranquil scene. Leaves crunch, a bird trills in the morning silence. We are in Mahilankulam, walking through the Wanni forest. It’s hard to believe that not so long ago, a bloody battle was being fought here. But there are still reminders. The lane we walk on is bordered by bright yellow tape. “Mines” it reads, complete with skull and crossbones. Stepping beyond the tape is ill-advised — unless you want to lose a leg.
Though the war is over, the mines remain, and people cannot return to their villages until they are cleared. Several NGOs, together with local personnel are working together to de-mine the area. Horizon is an Indian-based demining organisation working in Sri Lanka since 2003.
The site Horizon is working to clear is massive — 15.3 square kilometres, to be exact. Already, 13.9 kilometres have been declared clear, through a systematic process. This leaves a little over a kilometre of land to clear. The land was used to grow paddy once. Now, tall trees provide respite from the noonday heat. The ground is carpeted with leaves, and the areas not cleared are a veritable tangle of vegetation.
A distance of 500 to 700 yards was all that separated the LTTE and Army’s forward defence lines. The bunkers are sculpted out of logs, cemented with mud. ‘360’ reads the legend outside an LTTE bunker, notifying troops that they were afforded a 360 degree firing range through the slits in the walls. Inside, it is cool and cramped. By comparison, the Army bunkers are much larger, though it is still hard to imagine eking out a life in the forest in such conditions.
In the very depths of LTTE territory, a cluster of bunkers surround a special underground bunker, clearly the hideout of a high-ranking officer. The slope into the bunker is steep, and inside, it is full of bats, who flap excitedly out through the narrow slit in the ceiling as we approach.

Manual vs. Machinery

Horizon concentrates mainly on manual de-mining, a somewhat painstaking process.
A huge problem is the undergrowth — the thick vegetation makes it difficult to recover the mines. Add to that the need to wear a protective suit and helmet in the hot sun, and it becomes clear that the process is hardly a cakewalk. However, manual de-mining is much more effective than using machines. Country Manager, Horizon, Colonel P.M. Meena explains that the flail machines used by many de-mining companies only make the ground soft, and therefore easier to clear. The risk of accidents occurring are higher.
Rain has fallen in Vavuniya after seven months, and so the ground is soft and ideal for de-mining.

The Process

First, a survey team combs the area with mine detecting equipment. During the conflict, both the LTTE and the Army needed a ‘safe lane’, through which they could ferry provisions and weaponry to those in the bunkers. They marked the entry to their lane with steel bars and wire. This is used by the survey team as they move through the forest. When they come across a mine, they mark the spot, using sticks painted yellow at the top.
Starting from the safe lane, several more ‘cuts’ are made into the forest. The land is cleared of mines and vegetation, so it is safe to walk on. To be safe, a further two metres to the left and right of the path is cleared as well. Team leader A. Paliapana demonstrates how a mine is collected. Using a rake, Paliapana carefully clears the debris from around the mine. He uses a steel hook to pick up the mine itself. Next, he deftly screws off the top and removes the detonator with a flourish. The mine is now disarmed.  Paliapana then places it in a designated marked area, where it is picked up by the designated explosives disposal man. From there the detonators are set off in a special pit. The ensuing boom shatters the silence of the forest, and sets the earth shaking slightly. The casings are then burned, in the presence of an Army officer, to ensure that no one reuses them.
Everything is meticulously recorded — from the number of casings burned to the total number of mines found so far. There are markers to differentiate cleared from uncleared areas.
The team makes several ‘cuts’ into the forest, clearing the land of mines and vegetation, so it is safe to walk on. After this, the team will clear a further space of land, approximately two metres to either side of the path.

The patterns
Once the survey is completed, the pattern in which the mines were planted becomes evident. It is mainly the areas to the front and side of the bunkers which are mined. By identifying a pattern, it is possible to determine large chunks of land as free of mines.
It is interesting to note that the LTTE and the Army planted mines using different patterns. The LTTE tends to plant them in single file, around one metre apart. Of course, there are slight deviations from the pattern, and so the team must be constantly vigilant. The Army, on the other hand, favoured a ‘cluster pattern’ with mines placed in groups of three.
The mines themselves vary in type. There are the wooden Johnny 95, and the plastic Johnny 99, both creations of the LTTE. There are older battery operated and newer electronic mines. Some have even been imported from Pakistan. The wooden Johnny 95 is capable of blowing off a person’s leg up to the knee. A live grenade was also found.
The staff who carry out the de-mining include both Indians and local personnel. Horizon was one of the first to recruit women to carry out de-mining work, though this was initially greeted with some scepticism. Colonel Meena observed that the female de-miners proved to be both bold and efficient. The women include war widows, and those who had male family members already involved in the de-mining process. “At first we were a bit scared. But now, we’re used to the work,” said a 20 year old youth, who has been working with Horizon for a year.
And it is clear they even enjoy it. Ready smiles were evident everywhere we went in Mahilankulam. Though the work is tough, the volunteers are working for a good cause — rebuilding a nation torn apart by war. Thanks to them, villagers can soon return home.

De-Mining Statistics
Number of anti personnel mines found within LTTE territory:    6842
Number of anti personnel mines found within Army territory:    1636
Number of anti personnel mines found last week, LTTE:    109
Number of anti personnel mines found last week, Army:    60
Number of anti tank mines found in LTTE territory:    38
Number of UXOs (Unexploded Ordinance) LTTE:    9
Number of UXOs Army    9

Villages affected by the mining, LTTE:
Mahilankulam, Irambaikulam, Pakkuchorinchan, Velarchinnakulam
Villages affected by the mining, Army:
Puthiyavelarsinnakulam, Mahilankulam, Rambaikulam, Pakkuchorinchan
*Figures as of Tuesday, September 21. Applies only to the Mahilankulam site.