A church reopens after decades of landmines

At sunrise, boats began to cross the still waters of Jaffna Lagoon. Families gathered close together, making the journey they had waited years to take. On board were parishioners, fishermen, and elders, all heading toward the same place: Our Lady of Veilankanni Church on Puvaransanthivu Island.

For the first time in two decades, they were returning without fear.

This year, the Feast Day was different. The island had been declared mine-free.

A community displaced, a church abandoned

During the final years of the Sri Lankan Civil War, mines were laid across Puvaransanthivu Island. What had once been a place of rest and worship became too dangerous to enter. The church, originally built by fishermen in 1975, stood largely abandoned.

The war, which ended in 2009 after nearly three decades, left behind more than a million landmines across Sri Lanka. Communities were displaced, livelihoods disrupted, and sacred spaces cut off.

Puvaransanthivu was one of many places where life simply could not resume.

“We had celebrated only one festival. Then the war intensified so we did not conduct the festival [for many years],” said Thomas Edward, one of the original founders of the church. “Mother Mary was alone for a long time.”

Clearing the way back

In October 2023, HALO identified the island as hazardous. By early 2024, teams arrived to begin the painstaking work of clearance.

Over the next twenty months, they cleared over 10 acres of land, removing 48 anti-personnel mines, 25 unexploded ordnance items, and two improvised explosive devices.

The work was grueling. Besides the usual dangers and risk involved in landmine clearance, HALO’s deminers faced added challenges from the island’s unique environment.

Deminers operated in extreme heat, in knee-deep water, and through dense vegetation. They faced toxic sap from mangrove plants and a venomous caterpillar infestation, both of which resulted in some staff requiring hospitalization.

“It was a very dangerous place when we came at the beginning,” said Team Commander Vasanthan Akkuninta. “Despite many difficulties, we cleared the land and handed it over to the people.”

Even the tools had additional difficulties. Mineralized soil, mixed with salt from the sea, interfered with detectors, slowing progress and requiring constant adaptation.

Still, the teams persevered.

The first celebration without fear

Congregants arrived by boat at sunrise for a full day of celebration, including a special mass. For many, it was the first time they could move freely across the island.

“There are no mines here now," said fisherman Edward Rukulan. "We are happy now.”

The sense of relief was shared across the community.

“This is a joyous event, with clergy and parishioners able to celebrate together at the church for the first time since the war without fear or risk from landmines,” said Hugh Baker, Programme Manager for HALO Sri Lanka.

For those who had worked to clear the land, the moment was deeply personal.

“When these people celebrate this festival in this place together with us, we feel happy,” said Team Commander Akkuninta. “We feel proud.”

Returning more than land

The impact goes far beyond a single celebration.

Fishermen can now access the island again. Families can move freely. Livelihoods are beginning to recover.

“We were not allowed to fish because there were mines. One person even lost his leg,” said Annalingham Selvachandiran, head of the church. “Now we are not scared.”

HALO’s work has also included Explosive Ordnance Risk Education, helping communities understand how to stay safe even after clearance. It is part of a broader effort to restore confidence alongside physical safety.

Each mine removed represents more than a technical success. It is the return of normal life.

The beginning of a safer future

The Feast Day on Puvaransanthivu Island was more than a celebration.

It was the sound of a community returning, the sight of families moving freely, and the quiet relief of knowing the ground beneath their feet is safe.

This is what your support makes possible.

Not just cleared land, but restored lives—and the freedom to come back, together.