Sri Lanka

Mine Action

Last updated: 29 October 2018

 

Treaty status

Mine Ban Treaty

State Party
Article 5 deadline: 1 June 2028
On track

Mine action management

National mine action management actors

National Steering Committee for Mine Action (NSCMA)
National Mine Action Center (NMAC)
Regional Mine Action Office (RMAO) in Kilinochchi
District Steering Committees for Mine Action

Mine action strategic plan

National Mine Action Strategy for 2016–2020

Mine action standards

National Mine Action Standards (NMAS) were reviewed in 2017, awaiting finalization as of August 2018

Operators in 2017

National:
Sri Lanka Army (SLA)

NGOs:
DASH and its subcontractor national organization SHARP

International NGOs:
The HALO Trust
Mines Advisory Group (MAG)

Extent of contamination as of July 2018

Landmines

25.8km2
Extent of contamination: heavy

Cluster munition remnants

None

Other ERW contamination

Extent unknown. Includes large caches of AXO

Land release in 2017

Landmines

0.96km2 cancelled, 1.5km2 reduced, and 3.25km2 cleared with the destruction of 31,012 antipersonnel mines and 157 antivehicle mines
0.76km2 confirmed

Other ERW

6,243 items of UXO destroyed during mine clearance

Progress

Landmines

The non-technical survey that began in June 2015 was completed in February 2017, reducing total contamination from 68.4km2 to close to 26km2
The National Mine Action Strategy sets the goal of completion of mine and ERW clearance by 2020

Notes: ERW = explosive remnants of war; AXO = abandoned explosive ordinance; UXO = unexploded ordnance.

Contamination

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is extensively contaminated by mines and ERW. Most contamination is in the north, the focus of three decades of armed conflict between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which ended in May 2009. However, estimates of total contamination have fallen sharply: from 506km2 at the end of 2010, to 98km2 at the end of 2012, to nearly 68.4km2 in 2015, and down to just under 25.8km2 as of July 2018.[1]

Non-technical survey (re-survey) that began in June 2015 was completed in February 2017, with cancellation of 42km2 of suspected hazardous area (SHA), reducing total suspected contamination from over 68km2 to close to 26km2.[2]

Batticaloa district in Eastern province was declared free of the threat of mines in June 2017, the first of Sri Lanka’s mine affected provinces.[3]

Mine/ERW contamination (as of July 2018)[4]

Province

District

Area (m2)

Northern

Jaffna

2,150,624

Kilinochchi

10,849,638

Mullaitivu

8,475,610

Vavuniya

1,968,607

Mannar

1,940,326

Subtotal

 

25,384,805

Eastern

Trincomalee

111,311

Ampara

12,686

Subtotal

 

123,997

Northwestern

Puttalam

17,613

Northcentral

Anuradhapura

216,524

Western

Colombo

52,730

Subtotal

 

286,867

Total

 

25,795,669

 

The Northern province is by far the most affected, though limited contamination remains in Eastern province, and in Northcentral, Northwestern, and Western provinces. Both sides made extensive use of mines, including belts of P4 Mk I and Mk II blast antipersonnel mines laid by the SLA, and long defensive lines with a mixture of mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) laid by the LTTE.[5] Indian Peacekeeping Forces also used mines during their presence from July 1987 to January 1990.[6]

The SLA used both antipersonnel and antivehicle mines, with all use said to have been recorded.[7] Operators have encountered a wide range of LTTE devices, including antipersonnel mines with anti-tilt and anti-lift mechanisms. Tripwire-activated Claymore-type mines and, to a lesser extent, antivehicle mines, were also used by the LTTE, along with a number of forms of improvised devices to act as fragmentation mines, bar mines, electrical and magnetically initiated explosive devices, and mines connected to detonating cord to mortar and artillery shells.[8]

Sri Lanka remains contaminated with a wide range of ERW, including unexploded air-dropped bombs, artillery shells and missiles, mortar bombs, handheld anti-tank projectiles, and rifle and hand grenades. Large caches of AXO also exist, particularly in the north.[9] These are being cleared concurrently to the remaining minefields.[10]

In 2017, HALO Trust reported that the impact of mine contamination in its areas of operations in northern Sri Lanka is primarily socio-economic, with large areas of agricultural land and forest blocked for use or the collection of natural resources. However, the highest priority for clearance is land designated for the resettlement and return of internally displaced people (IDPs), mainly concentrated in areas around Muhamalai, Nagarkovil, and the Jaffna High Security Zone.[11]

Program Management

The Ministry of Rehabilitation, Resettlement, and Hindu Religious Affairs became the lead agency for mine action in 2015 as chair of the interministerial National Steering Committee for Mine Action (NSCMA). This body sets policy and is mandated to “manage linkages within the government, mine action community and donors.”[12] Its policies and decisions are implemented by the NMAC, set up in 2010[13] to: liaise with government ministries and development partners to determine mine action priorities; prepare a strategic plan; and set annual workplans to put it into effect. NMAC is also responsible for accrediting mine action operators, setting national standards, and acting as the secretariat of NSCMA.[14]

Clearance operations are coordinated, tasked, and quality managed by a Regional Mine Action Office (RMAO) in Kilinochchi, working in consultation with District Steering Committees for Mine Action. The committees are chaired by government agents heading district authorities.[15]

Under its National Mine Action Strategy for 2016–2020, the government of Sri Lanka intends to convene steering committee meetings for mine action up to twice per year at national level and at three regional levels, one for Eastern province and two for Northern province.[16]

Strategic planning

At the request of NMAC, Sri Lanka’s National Mine Action Strategy for 2016–2020 was reviewed in April 2018, in a multi-stakeholder workshop facilitated by the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), and in consultation with operators and the SLA. The strategy, which sets the goal of clearing all mines and ERW by 2020, contains the following strategic objectives:

  • The scope of the mine/ERW problem is identified, confirmed, and addressed using appropriate methodologies and resources.
  • Mine/ERW safe behavior among women, girls, boys, and men is promoted.
  • The needs of mine/ERW victims are determined and met and victims are integrated into society.
  • Sri Lanka accedes to the Mine Ban Treaty and complies with relevant obligations.
  • Long-term residual contamination is effectively managed by appropriate and sustainable national capacities.
  • The Sri Lanka mine action sector can access quality information for its strategic and operational decision-making.[17]

The review of the strategy was necessitated by the completion of re-survey efforts that concluded in early 2017 and in order to revise the remaining estimate of contamination.[18] Notably, one of the main objectives of the plan, that Sri Lanka accedes to the Mine Ban Treaty, was achieved in December 2017.

Sri Lanka has set out a district-by-district approach to completing clearance, under which, following completion of Batticaloa, clearance of Trincomalee and Jaffna districts are planned to be completed next.[19]

Since early 2009, resettlement of IDPs has been the focus of survey and clearance activities, including in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu, and Vavuniya districts in the north, and Ampara, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee districts in the east.[20] Clearance is focused on high-priority areas for resettlement, agricultural land, irrigation tank areas, and other infrastructure and development initiatives, as well as of heavily mined areas such as around Kilinochchi and the Muhamalai Forward Defence Line.[21] In addition, in 2016, the government of Sri Lanka granted increased access to areas of the Jaffna High Security Zone allowing HALO Trust to conduct clearance and MAG to clear previously restricted areas in Eastern province, further expanding the reach of mine action in the country.[22]

Legislation and standards

There is no national mine action legislation in Sri Lanka, based on available information. According to HALO Trust and MAG, a review of Sri Lanka’s National Mine Action Standards (NMAS) was carried out in May 2017 with the input of all demining operators, and support from the GICHD.[23] As of August 2018, however, the revised standards had yet to be finalized and distributed to operators.[24]

Information management

Sri Lanka’s Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) database has reportedly undergone substantial and continuing improvements since the installation of an updated version of the software in 2015 and the initiation of a process of data entry and ground verification.[25] Since that time, operators have reported that significant efforts have been exerted by stakeholders to correct erroneous data entered into IMSMA and to update the database on the basis of re-survey results, leading to a complete overhaul of the database and a more accurate representation of remaining contamination.[26]

However, despite the improvements to the quality of the database, in 2017 significant delays persisted in the provision of transparent and timely updates by NMAC in response to information requests from international mine action stakeholders and discrepancies continued to be reported between the information reported from the IMSMA database and operators’ records.

Operators

In 2017, demining was conducted by the SLA; a national NGO, DASH and its subcontractor national organization SHARP; and the two international NGOs, HALO Trust and MAG.

HALO Trust reported that as of December 2017, its operations staff capacity had increased by 62% over the previous year to a total of 715 (65 manual clearance teams, 12 mechanical clearance teams, and two survey/explosive ordnance disposal teams)—the result of greater funding from existing and new donors. As of 31 December 2017, mechanical assets comprised six front-end loaders, one tracked Caterpillar, one excavator, one tiller, one sifter, and one stone crusher. It also shared a second excavator with MAG. Machines are proving especially valuable in clearing mine lines in the Muhamalai minefield.[27]

MAG’s capacity in 2017 remained largely consistent with the previous year at 15 manual clearance teams, eight mechanical teams, as well as two community liaison teams and nine medical teams.[28]

According to NMAC, in 2017, the SLA’s demining unit deployed a total of 418 persons in demining operations, while DASH employed 369 staff in its demining activities, and its subcontractor, SHARP, employed a further 115 persons. The SLA had a total of 33 mini-flail machines, of which 12 were serviceable in 2017, along with a total of 12 mine detection dogs, of which 11 were deployed. Additionally, DASH deployed a mechanical rake machine during the year.[29]

Land Release

A total of just over 5.7km2 of antipersonnel mine contamination was reported released in 2017: nearly 4.8km2 by clearance and technical survey and close to 1km2 cancelled by non-technical survey.[30] This was a significant decrease from the overall land release reported in 2016 of nearly 38.5km2 (6.5km2 by clearance and technical survey and 32km2 cancelled).[31] This sharp decline in land release output was primarily due to the large drop in cancellation reported in 2017, due to the completion of a massive district-by-district re-survey at the beginning of the year.

The non-technical survey that began in June 2015 was completed in February 2017 with the cancellation of 42.4km2 of SHA, reducing total contamination from 68.4km2 to close to 26km2.[32]

Survey in 2017

A total of just under 0.96km2 was reported cancelled by non-technical survey by MAG and HALO Trust in their areas of operations in 2017, while close to 0.76km2 was confirmed as mined.[33] A total of just over 1.5km2 was reduced through technical survey by all operators during the year.[34] This compares to MAG and HALO’s survey output in 2016, when a total of 32km2was cancelled by non-technical survey and 22km2was confirmed as mined, along with a total of just under 4.2km2 reportedly reduced by technical survey by all operators.[35]

As stated, the sharp decline in cancellation reported by MAG and HALO in 2017 was due to the completion of large-scale re-survey efforts early in the year, after which operations focused on clearing the defined confirmed hazardous areas (CHAs).[36]

Mined area survey in 2017[37]

Operator

SHAs cancelled

Area cancelled (m²)

SHAs confirmed as mined

Area confirmed (m²)

Area reduced by TS (m2)

DASH

0

0

0

0

235,386

MAG

3

342,785

38

648,230

802,833

HALO

18

616,388

11

114,276

188,532

SHARP

0

0

0

0

0

SLA

0

0

0

0

315,014

Total

21

959,173

49

762,506

1,541,765

Note: TS = technical survey.

 

There are discrepancies between the data provided by the NMAC and operators. The table above presents the figures provided by HALO Trust and MAG. NMAC reported that MAG cancelled four areas with a size of 1,067,642m2 and reduced a further 385,230m2 of antipersonnel mine contamination by technical survey, while confirming six areas with a size of 1,179,834m2 as mined. It reported that HALO cancelled 18 SHAs with a size of 238,673m2 and reduced a total of 16,596m2 by technical survey, confirming an additional four areas with a size of 186,618m2. HALO reported that it canceled CHAs, not SHAs. It stated that the 11 areas confirmed were not SHAs, but rather newly identified as CHAs immediately during non-technical survey.[38]

Clearance in 2017

More than 3.2km2 of mined area was reportedly cleared in 2017, with a total of 31,012 antipersonnel mines, 157 antivehicle mines, and 6,243 items of UXO destroyed.[39]This is an increase in clearance output from 2016, when a total of 2.3km2 of mined area was reportedly cleared. However, there was a significant decrease in the number of antipersonnel mines reportedly destroyed, down from a total of 59,304 antipersonnel mines in 2016.[40]

Mine clearance in 2017[41]

Operator

Areas cleared

Area cleared (m²)

AP mines destroyed

AV mines destroyed

UXO destroyed

DASH

29

920,511

18,083

50

2,274

MAG

39

632,686

1,711

0

69

HALO

14

1,303,209

6,592

46

3,116

SHARP

3

183,517

481

61

690

SLA

11

205,908

4,145

0

94

Total

96

3,245,831

31,012

157

6,243

Note: AP = antipersonnel; AV = antivehicle.

 

There are discrepancies between the data provided by the NMAC and operators. The table above presents the figures provided by HALO and MAG. NMAC reported that MAG cleared 584,278m2 of antipersonnel mine contamination, destroying 1,723 antipersonnel mines, two antivehicle mines, and 128 UXO. It reported that HALO cleared 531,588m2 of antipersonnel mines contamination, destroying 8,788 antipersonnel mines, eight antivehicle mines, and 1,554 UXO. According to the NMAC and HALO, the discrepancies in reporting could be due to the NMAC’s receiving and reporting on the basis of completion reports from operators.[42]

During 2017, HALO Trust continued to focus clearance on areas of the Muhamalai minefield pegged for resettlement. In December 2017, the government of Sri Lanka released two additional sectors of the Muhamalai minefield, following completion of clearance by HALO, for a total of six out of 21 sectors completed by HALO. The areas were cleared and released for the purpose of resettlement at Intherapuram village, facilitating the resettlement of 24 displaced families, and opening land for agriculture, specifically for coconut cultivation.[43]

MAG, with support from the SLA, completed clearance of Batticaloa district, Eastern province in June 2017. MAG reported that following completion of re-survey of the district, it began clearance in October 2016 and finished in May 2017, releasing a total of 246,266m2: 79,817m2 through clearance and 146,567m2 by technical survey, with the destruction of 383 antipersonnel mines and two items of UXO.[44]

In 2017, MAG’s main operational focus continued to be Mannar district, where it reported that more than 100,000 IDPs had been resettled since 2010. According to MAG, more than 70% of the population in Mannar district rely on agricultural activities for their livelihood. MAG remained the only clearance operator in Mannar district and continued to support its district development plans.[45]

Deminer safety

In 2017, four DASH deminers were injured in three demining accidents in Muhamalai, Kilinochchi district. In another incident in June 2017, in Trincomalee district, an SLA deminer was injured in a demining accident.[46]

HALO Trust reported that while working in the Muhamalai minefield one deminer was involved in a demining accident in June 2017. He detonated a so-called “onion blast,” a local term for a small homemade device that is placed on the ground with the intention of killing or incapacitating animals, such as wild pigs. According to HALO Trust, typically these items are used to hunt animals and not people. They are typically packed with commercially available low-grade explosives and ball bearings or other fragmentation, are wrapped in paper or plastic, and the devices are around two centimeters in diameter. The deminer sustained only light injuries to a finger.[47]

Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 Compliance

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Sri Lanka is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 June 2028. The National Mine Action Strategy sets the goal of completion of mine and ERW clearance by 2020.

The NMAC reported that according to its revised National Mine Action Strategy, the national target for antipersonnel mine clearance in 2018 is 9km2.[48]

In December 2017, Sri Lanka informed States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty that 98% of its mine contamination had been cleared, with assistance from NGOs and the international donor community.[49]

The NMAC has reported that, cumulatively, a total of 137km2 of mined area was reduced or cleared between 2002 and May 2018, and a total of 735,444 antipersonnel mines, 2,073 antivehicle mines, and 556,384 items of UXO were destroyed during that timeframe.[50] Clearance dropped significantly in 2013 following a decline in capacity after closure of operations by the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) in 2013 and two Indian demining NGOs (Horizon and Sarvatra) in 2012.

Mine clearance in 2013–2017[51]

Year

Area cleared (km2) reported in previous years[52]

Area cleared (km2) following data verification in October 2018[53]

2017

3.25

3.25

2016

2.35

2.80

2015

3.52

3.58

2014

3.75

2.66

2013

6.44

2.35

Total

19.31

14.64

 

 

 

The Monitor acknowledges the contributions of the Mine Action Review (www.mineactionreview.org), which has conducted the primary mine action research in 2018 and shared all its country-level landmine reports (from“Clearing the Mines 2018”) and country-level cluster munition reports (from “Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2018”) with the Monitor. The Monitor is responsible for the findings presented online and in its print publications.



[1] Emails from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, Assistant Director Operations, Quality Management, and Planning, Chairman Accreditation Committee, NMAC, 8 and 9 October 2018.

[2] Email from Alistair Moir, MAG, 27 September 2017.

[3] Ibid., 8 August 2018.

[4] Emails from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 8 and 9 October 2018.

[5] Interviews with demining operators, Colombo, 29 March–2 April 2010; and with Maj. Pradeep Gamage, Officer-in-Charge, North Jaffna Humanitarian Demining Unit (HDU), Jaffna, 3 April 2007.

[6] Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement, and Hindu Religious Affairs, “Sri Lanka National Mine Action Strategy 2016–2020,” May 2016, p. 6.

[7] Ibid.; and interview with Rob Syfret, Operations Manager, HALO Trust, in Kilinochchi, 12 September 2016.

[8] Email from Valon Kumnova, HALO Trust, 11 April 2014; and “Sri Lanka National Mine Action Strategy 2016–2020,” May 2016, p. 6.

[9] “Sri Lanka National Mine Action Strategy 2016–2020,” May 2016, p. 6.

[10] Email from Matthew Hovell, Regional Director, HALO Trust, 30 September 2018.

[11] Email from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018.

[12] “The National Strategy for Mine Action in Sri Lanka,” Ministry of Economic Development, September 2010, p. 9; and email from Sri Mallikarachchi, Senior IMSMA Officer, NMAC, 13 October 2015. After Sri Lanka’s January 2015 presidential elections and change of government, the Ministry of Economic Development, which formerly housed NMAC, was dismantled. A March 2015 cabinet memorandum then assigned development activity, implemented by the former Ministry of Economic Development, to other relevant ministries. This resulted in responsibility for the national mine action program being assigned to the Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement, and Hindu Religious Affairs. “Sri Lanka National Mine Action Strategy 2016–2020,” May 2016, p. 10.

[13] The cabinet formally approved the creation of the NMAC on 10 July 2010.


[14] Email from Amanthi Wickramasinghe, Programme Officer − Peace and Recovery, UNDP, Colombo, 11 March 2011. 


[15] “Sri Lanka National Mine Action Strategy 2016–2020,” May 2016, p. 9. It states that: “Steering committees used to play an important role in providing guidance to the mine action programme and in promoting transparency and accountability. At the national level the Steering Committee fulfilled the role of a National Mine Action Authority. It used to convene key national stakeholders including the SLA and relevant Ministries, mine action NGOs and main development partners. At regional and district levels, steering committees were tasked to ensure priority-setting of survey, clearance and MRE activities.”

[16] “Sri Lanka National Mine Action Strategy 2016–2020,” May 2016, p. 10.

[17] Ibid., p. 11.

[18] Emails from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; and from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[19] Email from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018; and presentation by Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, “Key Achievements and Way Forward,” Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 7–8 June 2018.

[20] “Sri Lanka National Mine Action Strategy 2016–2020,” May 2016, p. 7.

[21] Emails from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; and from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 7 October 2016.

[22] Emails from Alistair Moir, MAG, 21 August 2017; and from Helaine Boyd, Programme Support Officer, HALO Trust, 25 April and 28 September 2017.

[23] Emails from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; and from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[24] Email from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[26] Emails from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018, and 21 August 2017; and from Helaine Boyd, HALO Trust, 25 April 2017.

[27] Emails from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; and from Matthew Hovell, 30 September 2018.

[28] Email from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[29] Email from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 27 September 2018.

[30] Ibid.; and 8 October 2018; from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; from and Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[31] Emails from Alistair Moir, MAG, 21 August 2017; and from Helaine Boyd, HALO Trust, 25 April 2017; and presentation by Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, “1stQuarter Meeting 2017,” undated.

[32] Email from Alistair Moir, MAG, 27 September 2017.

[33] Emails from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 27 September and 8 October 2018; from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; and from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[34] Emails from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 27 September and 8 October 2018; from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; and from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[35] Emails from Alistair Moir, MAG, 21 August 2017; and from Helaine Boyd, HALO Trust, 25 April 2017; and presentation by Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, “1st Quarter Meeting 2017,” undated.

[36] Emails from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; and from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[37] Emails from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 27 September 2018; from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; and from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[38] Ibid.

[39] Emails from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 27 September and 8 October 2018; from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; and from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[40] Emails from Alistair Moir, MAG, 21 August 2017; and from Helaine Boyd, HALO Trust, 25 April 2017; and presentation by Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, “1stQuarter Meeting 2017,” undated.

[41] Emails from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 27 September and 8 October 2018; from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018; from Camille Wallen, Head of Policy and Evaluation, HALO Trust, 9 October 2018; and from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[42] Email from Alistair Moir, MAG, 8 August 2018.

[43] Ibid.

[44] Ibid.

[45] Ibid.

[46] Email from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 27 September 2018.

[47] Email from Bartholomew Digby, HALO Trust, 5 March 2018.

[48] Email from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 27 September 2018.

[49] Statement of Sri Lanka, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 18–21 December 2017.

[50] Presentation by Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, “Key Achievements and Way Forward,” Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 7–8 June 2018.

[51] As a result, however, NMAC reported that the total amount of antipersonnel mine clearance output per year had been adjusted from that previously reported (as contained in the table) to approx. 2.35km2in 2013; 2.66km2in 2014; 3.58km2in 2015; and 2.80km2in 2016.

[52] See previous Monitor reports.

[53] In October 2018, NMAC reported that a process to verify and re-enter all completion reports from 2002 to present into the IMSMA database had been completed, with the assistance of operators. The NMAC stated that this had rectified a number of data entry errors and missing data that was not transferred during a migration from an older IMSMA legacy version of the database to the newer IMSMA NG software. Emails from Mahinda Bandara Wickramasingha, NMAC, 8 and 9 October 2018.