Impact Assessment Audit of Landmines Clearance Program in Sri Lanka Through Satellite

This is demonstarted here how satellite can be used for detecting landmines effectively and Impact Assessment Audit on the clearance programs can be monitored through the satellite. Impact Assessment Audit of landmines clearance programs are important and completely technical matter. How this part of the Impact Assessment Audit can be done, is demonstarted here. This demonstration is based on the heavy landmines area of Sri Lanka. This country is still not clear from contamination. In this report warning has been issued about the Jaffna International Airport, where satellite is giving warning signal of two points of contamination in pocket one, mentioned below. This is dangerous as the airport is operational, see test report - one, given below. The Impact Assessment Audit of landmines contaminated feilds are novel audit technique based on satellite. This is developed by this author, who is a qualified Social Impact Assessment Auditor with rich professional experience. The auditor can be reached at birendrajha03@yahoo.com )



*Birendra K Jha 

This is seen in Impact Assessment Audit that the Impact Assessment Auditors are not using satellite data in preparing the audit report.  Though, for conducting the "Quantitative Survey" of the landmines demining program  1) In-Person Surveys 2) Focus Group Discussions & 3) Conducting  of Community Profiling are giving sense of Impact, but real "Impact Changes" are seen only when  these surveys are used with the satellite evaluation data. The fine chemical films coming out from the buried landmines and deposited on land surface are sensed in shortwave frequency by satellite in "Tan Colour". This technique I develoved after studying the landmines of Sri Lanka in between 2021 to 2024. The satellite tool for Impact Assessment Audit is necessary in landmines clerance programs. The specific  survey  on the "Satellite Based Proxy Economic Indicator" and the "Satellite Based Monitoring Data" are giving accurate valuable information. They are majored only through the speaking "Visual Observation Management" data. This makes the entire Impact Assessment Audit very high valuable document for quick decision and strategy making. Using satellite data for Impact Assessment Audit is a matter of skill, proficiency and higher knowledge of using satellite as tool. 

I have used satellite  earlier for auditing the underwater structures in the Gulf of Kutch. This has been the Analogue Technique, what I developed. This  provided the correct timing to the satellite, when it can look under the water. Here also detail imaging color frequency bands were used under the water, which were able to penetrate the water. Similar technique I used to explore and detect the landmines for humanitarian program and know exactly the real clearance in the Social Impact Assessment Audit. As stated earlier, I studied deeply the pattern of landmines in Sri Lanka for four years from 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024 and found that high resolution satellite in specific band frequency of shortwave  detects brilliantly landmines contaminated  chemical films deposited above the land surface, where landmines are buried. The surface of this chemial film looks like "Tan Color" in satellite. This is great break through of satellite in landmine detection.  

This portion shall discuss how satellite has been used in the Impact Assessment Audit of landmines clearance program in given samples. Further how this important part of the Audit report can be used in understanding the impact from the  1) In-Person Surveys 2) Focus Group Discussions & 3) Conduct of Community Profiling in landmines clearance program. Once the landmines are cleared or sanitized the area automatically converts to "Red Colour" in satellite image. This is a strong indication that the clearnce programs have benn conducted effectively. In satellite image the minefeild in "Tan Colour" converts to "Red Colour" after clearance. This is purely based on the scientific principle. After demining, chemical film on ground surface is not found above the landmine buried area. The area grows with green vegetation. This green vegetation is detected by satellite in "Red Colour". Brilliant Social Impact Assessment Auditor use this "Change" in measuring the performance of the landmine clearance programs. Landmines discharge chemical films and vapor. Vapor is emitted out in atmosphere depositing fine film of chemical on ground surface. This degradation of TNT like explosives are natural procees. This degradation releases vapor and fine film chemical. The fine film chemical deposited on surface destroys green vegetation. This principle is brilliantly used by satellite in sensing the data of the presence of landmines.    

In this audit, this is  important to understand that satellite looks the landmines buried surface in "Tan Color" or "Tan Color" mixed with  faded black colour. The green vegetation appears in red color and water emits blue or dark black colour. 

Some five sample test reports are given here from Sri Lanka based on satellite evaluation. These test reports are sample to understand how satellite can be used brilliantly in Impact Assessment Audit.  A comparison is given here from 2018 and 2024 in "Before" and "After" format.  I can't travel beyond 2018 as old satellite data before 2018 are not available. But for Sri Lanka case 2018 is sufficient bench mark base data. In 2009 civil war in Sri Lanka ended. But most of the landmine remains covered up till 2018 and even found at the current date also.  

In 2018 the province of Jaffna in Sri Lanka was covered with thick patch of landmines.  This prevented any movement of security forces inside Jaffna.  These landmines were used just like huge wall which was difficult to cross. 

I have audited five sample area which shows that the land mining clearance operation needs more serious effort. So far the clearance figure is poor. Poor clearance figure damages society, economy and many other things.  It is also the compliance requirement of the Sri Lanka’s Government. The Government  has signed "Mine Ban Treaty". Under Article 5 of the "Mine Ban Treaty", Sri Lanka is required to destroy all  landmines  under its jurisdiction  by 1 June 2028. Only four years are left to meet this compliance. This is very short time and more team and resources are required to pump here for the mines clearance. 

The Jaffna-Kandy highway and other highway corridor, have multiple minefields. Earlier the LTTE blocked the Jaffna-Kandy highway, with heavy mines and also blocked the Naval ship movement inside the lagoon area near the Jaffna Fort.  

Throughout the Worldwide Impact Assessment Audit on programs of landmine clearance, the Impact Assessment Auditor should must use the satellite data while writing the final audit report. As earlier stated, any Impact Assessment Audit report without satellite data is of no use, which deals sensitive and humanitarian issues like this landmine clearance. 

Test report one: This is Jaffna International Airport. This airport earlier was seized by LTTE where in order to prevent security forces from moving outside the airport , the outer area was covered with thick patch of landmines. In 2018 three pockets are seen contaminated. The landmine clearance program applied here. In 2024, pocket one is showing red color. Earlier in 2018, the pocket one  was in tan colour. This is the real impact of change. The area in pocket one ( 2024 ) is now red. Red means area is completely cleared from any landmines. But two spots in pocket one are still in tan colour. This is required to be verified, checked and attended seriously. Clearance mission required here on top priority as airport is operational. In pocket two and three (all 2024 ) small points in tan colour are seen. This is evidence that the satellite is giving warning that still landmines may be here. The area should be red completely as an evidence of 100 % clearance.     

  

Test report two: This is self spoken. No need of elaboration


Test report three: This is self spoken. No need of elaboration

                        Test report four: This is self spoken. No need of elaboration


Test report five: This is also self spoken. No need of elaboration

Overall Rating Score ( Based on five test samples ): 

We see the clearance performance ( based on five test samples ) is  very poor. This is just 42 %. This is extremely poor rate and needs more attention to improve the quality of landmine clearance. This satellite data is required to be elaborated further with 1) In-Person Surveys 2) Focus Group Discussions & 3) Conduct of Community Profiling to understand the complete impact.


 

Sample Selection For Color Detection Tendencies of Satellite in short wave frequency from Tan Colour to Red Colour: 

A heavy man made cordon wall in ring shape, made of landmines, is seen from Alaveddy to Chulipuram. This is very thick landmines. This obstructed completely the security forces to enter Jaffna. An IPKF jeep had blown up at Alaveddy. This allowed to imagine the strategy and mind in placing the landmine. A "Tan Colour" thick ring shape patch is seen under which broken yellow line is made for identification. This confirms that satellite in specific frequency read chemical film above the buried landmines in "Tan Colour". When site is sanitized or clear, then it converts to the "Red Colour". This is clear "Change" of major interest for the Social Impact Assessment Auditor, like me. One of the primary components of most land mines is TNT. In the late 1990s, scientists confirmed that TNT gives off a vaporous residue that remains in the soil around a buried landmine. This vaporous residue, deposits fine chemical film on the land surface. This chemical film is satellite marker. This exact area site can be identified in satellite through the latitude and longitude degree maping. TNT is the most widely used explosive. Other explosives used in landmines are IEDs, UXOs, RDX, Semtex, etc. to common explosive like ammonium nitrate. Hence satellite is a promising technique to evaluate the explosive clearance programs and detection of dangerous minefeilds for common people safeguard and protect people at large.  





Three pictures are given here for visual data analysis. The two immediate pictures in Before and After format of first sample is again elaborated here. The two pictures are showing the area from the Jaffna International Airport to the near by village Tellippalai. Tellippalai village is still contaminated in 2024 satellite image. In 2018 heavy landmine films are seen on ground surface in "Tan Color" at Jaffna International Airport. After demining operation, most of the area in satellite image is now in "Red Color", as shown in After ( 2024 ) frame. Just Next to the two frames picture, the situation of Maankulam village, Dist: Vavuniya is given. This village is intersection of four roads, where heavy landmine contamination is seen in 2018 satellite picture. This Maankulam site is still contaminated in 2024. At present Maankulam surrounding site is deep green belt. This is the significant reason that Maankulam surrounding areas looks deep red in satellite image. The landmines visible area has destroyed greenary. Now Demining work is going on here. This is very dangerous zone, where chances of accidents are more. Only trained employees should be deployed here for demining work and no traffic jam should be allowed here to avoid any accident.  

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