The Japanese government has granted 1.8 million US dollars to five international non-governmental organizations to accelerate landmine clearance in SriLanka's north and east, a local internet newspaper said Saturday.

The Colombopage quoted Japanese Embassy sources as saying that the grants were provided for one year's mine clearance activities at several locations in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mannar in the north and Batticaloa in the east.

According to the Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation, humanitarian de-miners have so far removed 119,656mines since the signing of the cease-fire agreement in February 2002 between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers.

The mines removed include anti-personnel mines, anti-tank minesand unexploded ordnances.

The de-miners have so far cleared over 12 million square metersof land, said the Sri Lankan government.

However, it is estimated that approximately 800,000 mines, two-thirds of the total mines laid during Sri Lanka's internal conflict, are yet to be removed.

Source: Xinhua