Landmines in Sri Lanka are the legacy of almost two decades of war that claimed over 60,000 lives and displaced over a million people. Mines contaminate large parts of the country, including vast stretches of cultivatable land as well as entire villages. It is estimated that there are more than 400,000 mines and unexploded ordnances still lying dormant in Sri Lankan soil. A mine action programme is now underway as the people of the former conflict areas learn to face new challenges of peace times.