Arab News Japan

Japan’s Ambassador to Lebanon OKUBO Takeshi celebrated the completion a 15-year demining project in the Al Bustan village, Southern of Lebanon, which was declared free of land mines on Thursday.

“I am glad that Al Bustan village is finally free of mines, after 15 years of effort. I congratulate the townspeople, especially the farmers, for resuming their agricultural activities. I also salute the efforts of the working teams that did a daily dangerous and hard work. This feat would not have been possible without you!,” Okubo said in a tweet.

More than 5,350 anti personnel mines and other remnants of war in the Al Bustan village were destroyed, releasing 76,000 square meters of contaminated land, according to the Danish humanitarian non-governmental organisation Dan Church Aid in Lebanon.

The project was aided by financial support from Japan, who provided over $2 million in grants since 2018 through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Program to support the mine action projects of  DCA.

The mine clearance not only reduces the risk of harm from explosion to the 4,000 people that reside in this area, but also increases their access to clear land which could aid the socio-economic development of these communities.