In the village of Mankulam, Sri Lanka, Thavarathnam Pushparani, once a frontline fighter for the Tamil Tiger rebels, now battles a new war: clearing her homeland of deadly land mines. However, the recent halt in aid from the Trump administration threatens the livelihood of thousands like Pushparani who depend on the demining operations funded by international contributions.
The suspension puts Sri Lanka’s commitment to being mine-free by 2028 at risk, a promise made when it ratified the Ottawa Treaty in 2017. Having lived through the civil war that devastated her family, with her husband and several other family members killed or missing, Pushparani understands the toll of conflict all too well. As a teenager, after moving to the northern region following ethnic violence against Tamils in 1983, she joined the rebel movement in the fight for an independent Tamil state.
Following the end of the war in 2009, Pushparani was reunited with her children and found work with demining organizations. These operations, initially supported during a 2002 ceasefire, have heavily relied on the United States, which has contributed about 34% of the $250 million in grants received for mine clearance so far. Last year alone, the U.S. provided 45% of the total funding.
Despite setbacks from the ceasefire breach, international aid has enabled the removal of over 2.5 million explosive ordnances from Sri Lanka’s soil. Of the original 254 square kilometers that needed clearing, only 23 square kilometers remain. Continued progress hinges on sustained funding, but with financial uncertainties looming, Sri Lanka’s National Mine Action Center is in limbo while the U.S. reviews its aid, with a decision expected by May 1.
Ananda Chandrasiri, head of one of the demining groups, expressed hope that funding would resume after the review, warning that a lack of resources could severely hinder the goal of achieving a mine-free status by 2027. Layoffs in the approximately 3,000-strong demining workforce, consisting largely of people affected by the civil war, have already begun, according to M.M. Nayeemudeen from the National Mine Action Center.
The civil war, which ended in 2009, claimed around 100,000 lives according to U.N. estimates. Although efforts were made to clear civilian areas of mines, significant portions of land remained riddled with hazards, making restoration efforts dangerous. Recounts of tragic incidents, like that of Kumarakulasingham Dinojan losing his hand from a mine at just nine years old, highlight the pervasive risk. These accidents often occurred as civilians unknowingly tried to use mines for purposes like fishing.
Vidya Abhayagunawardena, an advocate for banning land mines, stressed the importance of Sri Lanka ratifying the Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War. He also urged the implementation of laws supporting disabled individuals, efforts essential for protecting Sri Lanka’s most vulnerable populations.
Dinojan’s elder brother, Vilvaraj Vinothan, who joined the Mine Advisory Group out of a personal drive to prevent similar tragedies, shares the same commitment as Pushparani. Their work illustrates a communal effort to reclaim and restore their land for future generations. For Pushparani, the demining job has been a lifeline, supporting her family and fulfilling her daughter’s educational aspirations.
Balancing the personal challenges posed by her injured daughter and elderly mother, she remains resolute in her mission. “I joined demining not just to escape poverty but to ensure our land is safe,” she says. “Restoring it for a safer tomorrow is the burden I carry for my family and my country.”