Humanitarian Demining and Sustainable Land Management in Post-Conflict Settings in Sri Lanka: Literature Review

Abstract

Systematic humanitarian demining carried out with care is an essential prerequisite for sustainable land management in post conflict settings. Degradation of land and pollution of water, soil and vegetation, as well as poisonous gas emissions that may even contribute to climate change, can be reduced significantly by humanitarian demining practices. Such practices simultaneously conserve natural resources and increase yields which results to sustainable land management. Mine Risk Education which is a major component of humanitarian demining, will have a lasting impact on people’s knowledge, attitudes and practices related to landmines making a positive contribution towards sustainable land management. This paper utilizes research publications from refereed journals and mine action authorities as well as ground information using the systematic literature review (SLR) method. The study investigates relations between humanitarian demining and sustainable land management in post conflict settings with a classic example from North East Sri Lanka. The practical implications for demining operators are that they can implement the strategies to improve the prevailing sustainable land management conditions of the communities in Sri Lanka and elsewhere.