Highway of Death
Minefields and reconciliations in Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan ceasefire monitoring mission and the United Nations are a reassuring presence at the border crossing and on a road once known as the Highway of Death. People wait patiently in line as the sun and heat steadily climb. Everyone undergoes an identity check and body search. Military police and intelligence officers question people about their reasons for entering rebel territory. Soldiers search for items that could be turned into weapons by the Tamil Tiger rebels. Dotted along the road are signs warning of land mines and unexploded shells in the jungle and fields surrounding the highway. The number of victims of mines has increased greatly since the ceasefire allowed families to return to homes which are often situated in minefields. However, despite the dangers families are overjoyed to be reunited again after so long.
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