Police spread word on mine safety

Colombo, Sep 7 - Police officers have been equipped with essential information on detecting mines and remnants of war in order to help safeguard the lives of the communities they serve. The 33 police officers who completed this mines risk workshop took part in what is known as ‘training of trainers’, and each of them will deliver more mine risk education courses in police colleges to share their knowledge and understanding among many other colleagues.

UNICEF Sri Lanka Representative, Reza Hossaini, said: “We are delighted to be able to work with the police and Government partners in order that the right of all children is met for a safe environment in which they can play, go to school and go about their daily lives without the threat of explosives.”

A two-day workshop on mine risk education, conducted in Colombo by mines risk experts, was funded by UNICEF, in partnership with the Sri Lankan Government.

Among the goals of this workshop are that the police will be able to provide basic knowledge to communities on the risk of mines, identification of safe and dangerous areas, the warning signs of possible mines and how to report a mine to the relevant authorities. The police play an important role in helping to safeguard the communities in which they work by spreading their newly-acquired knowledge.

It is deemed especially important with more people being re-settled in the North and East of the country, where there is more likelihood of unexploded remnants of the war.

Officers were also instructed on making more people aware of the dangers of trap-guns which injure many children each year when they step on hidden trip-wires and trigger explosives in these improvised hunting devices.