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Demining team heading for Jaffna
By Harinda Vidanage

The US State Departmnet's quick action demining force of 26 memebers and four specially trained mine-detecting dogs left for Jaffna yesterday soon after they flew to Colombo. The force comprising US-trained Mozambique nationals will be in Jaffna for about four months for mine-detection and clearing operations. A Mozmabique mine-detecting expert is seen here with a mine-detecting dog. Pic by Gemunu Wellage.

The US funded demining team consisting of 26 US trained Mozambique nationals and four specially trained dogs yesterday left for Jaffna hours after they arrived in Colombo. Don Smith a retired captain of the US Marines is leading the team which will be stationed in Jaffna for four months.

The team made up from members of the US State Department's Quick Reaction Demining Force (QRDF) is a permanent demining force established by the US state Department. This is the second team to visit the country as earlier much small but an expert demining team of five led by Murphey McCloy Jr, the senior demining advisor for the United States came to make initial assessments of the operations ahead. US state department was the main contractor of the QRDF.

The funding includes training of the team as well as equipping them. This team in conjunction with the Sri Lankan government and the military conducts the operation of demining in Jaffna. The team trained by Don Smith was actively involved in Demining operations in the Mozambique for one year. The team's important asset other than the standard mine sweeping equipment are the specially trained sniffer dogs.

The team leader said rather than using hi-tech materials the dogs were very much effective in mine clearing. All the deminers are equipped with standard body armour suits, minelamps and electronic metal detectors. Don Smith has been involved in mine clearing operations in Vietnam, Bosnia, Kosovo and the Mozambique. The other US national in the team George Conrad is a veteran dog trainer with 32 years experience in the US Airforce.

The dogs have been trained for nine months as well. The Sunday Times learns the team will be working on sites chosen by the Sri Lankan military but not with local mine clearing teams.

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