Policy

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty on 13 December 2017, and the treaty entered into force for the country on 1 June 2018.

In November 2018, Sri Lanka reported that it is in the process of creating implementation legislation for the Mine Ban Treaty.[1] Draft legislation is being reviewed by “key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Defence,” prior to being submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers for final approval.[2] It provided the same report in April 2019 and did not provide an update at the intersessional meetings in June 2019, so it is unclear how much progress has been made.

As of 15 October 2020, Sri Lanka had not provided an updated annual Article 7 report, which was due in April 2020. In November 2018, Sri Lanka provided an initial Article 7 report, which provided information “as of 28 November 2018.”[3] In April 2019, Sri Lanka provided an updated Article 7 report.[4] Previously, Sri Lanka submitted a voluntary Article 7 report in 2005.

Sri Lanka participated in the Mine Ban Treaty’s Fourth Review Conference in Oslo, Norway in November 2019, where it made a statement during the High-Level segment, and during the sessions on victim assistance and international cooperation and assistance. Sri Lanka also participated in the online intersessional meetings in June–July 2020.

Sri Lanka is a party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It is also party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Amended Protocol II on landmines.

Production, Transfer, and Use

There is no evidence that the government of Sri Lanka has ever produced or exported antipersonnel mines. Sri Lanka’s declared stockpile of antipersonnel landmines includes mines of Belgian, Chinese, Italian (or Singaporean), and Pakistani origin, as well as unknown mine types.[5]

Since the end of armed conflict in May 2009, the Monitor has not received any reports of new use of antipersonnel mines by any entity in Sri Lanka.

In October 2009, Sri Lanka Army Commander, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, said that “the use of mines by the Sri Lankan military is strictly limited and restricted to defensive purposes only…to demarcate and defend military installations” adding that mined areas are “marked accordingly…and relevant records systematically maintained.”[6] Earlier in 2009, Brigadier Lasantha Wickramasuriya acknowledged that the Sri Lanka Army had used antipersonnel mines in the past and used non-detectable Belgian, Chinese, and Italian mines, as well as bounding and fragmentation mines of Pakistani, Portuguese, and United States (US) manufacture.[7]

Prior to the end of armed conflict, in particular in 2008 and 2009, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) laid large numbers of mines throughout the north of Sri Lanka.[8] Prior to its demise, the LTTE was considered expert in making explosive weapons. It was known to produce several types of antipersonnel mines: Jony 95 (a small wooden box mine), Rangan 99 or Jony 99 (a copy of the P4 MK1 Pakistani mine), SN 96 (a Claymore-type mine), fragmentation antipersonnel mines from mortars, and variants of some of these antipersonnel mines, including some with anti-handling features, as well as Amman 2000 MK1 and MKII antivehicle mines.[9]

Between 1987–1990, the Indian military/Indian peacekeeping forces also used landmines in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.[10]

Stockpiling and destruction

Sri Lanka possesses a significant stockpile of antipersonnel mines. Sri Lanka’s deadline for destruction is 1 June 2029. However, in November 2018, Sri Lanka stated its intent to complete stockpile destruction by the end of 2020.[11]

In its initial Article 7 report, submitted on 28 November 2018, Sri Lanka declared a stockpile of 77,865 antipersonnel mines.

Antipersonnel mines formerly stockpiled by Sri Lanka[12]

In November 2018, Sri Lanka announced that physical destruction of its stockpile had already started and that it intends to complete destruction by the end of 2020. Sri Lanka reported that the destruction of 57,033 antipersonnel mines had occurred prior to November 2018. Sri Lanka’s total stockpile prior to destruction commencing was 134,898 antipersonnel mines. The destruction that occurred prior to November 2018 is outlined in the table below.

In its May 2019 Article 7 report, Sri Lanka declared the destruction of 15,355 antipersonnel mines since its previous report. This is also shown in the following table.

Stockpiled antipersonnel mines destroyed by Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has 41,357 of the 62,510 remaining antipersonnel mines marked for destruction. It intends to retain the remainder for research and training.

Retention

In its initial Article 7 report, Sri Lanka declared the retention of 21,153 antipersonnel mines and reported the same number in its subsequent Article 7 report, showing that no antipersonnel mines have been consumed during training or for research.

Antipersonnel mines retained by Sri Lanka (as of 31 December 2018)

This represents the largest number of landmines currently retained by any State Party. Sri Lanka’s Article 7 report of May 2019 states that mines will be retained for training by the Sri Lanka Army, Air Force, Navy, and police forces.