On this occasion the beneficiaries were the inhabitants of Planadas and Rovira, in Tolima, who received more than 43,000 square meters free of anti-personnel mines.
Soldiers of the Humanitarian Demining Engineer Battalion No.2, joining efforts for the communities that were affected for several decades by anti-personnel mines, demined at 2,500 meters above sea level.
The village of La Esmeralda, in the municipality of Rovira, and the village of San Miguel, in the municipality of Planadas, have new areas for the inhabitants to carry out productive projects and mobilize with more tranquility.
The inhabitants said that the demined territories, that have an area of more than 43,000 square meters, have not been used for more than 15 years ago.
Bernel Antonio Espinosa, owner of one of the cleared farms in the municipality of Rovira, added: “I feel very grateful to the Demining Battalion No.2 for clearing these roads, which I had not been able to pass through for 15 years”.
The official handover of the land was carried out complying the biosecurity protocol and in presence of the external monitoring component of the Organization of American States (OAS) and presidents of Community Action Committees.
Mine clearance specialists will continue to promote and train inhabitants to always apply safe behaviors in case they find explosive devices.
Source: press-Humanitarian Demining Brigade