Oscar-nominated British actress and Mines Advisory Group (MAG) Global Ambassador Rosamund Pike has highlighted the critical importance of humanitarian mine clearance in Sri Lanka, sharing the harrowing story of a local landmine survivor to advocate for total clearance of it.
In a personal social media reflection following her visit to Sri Lanka alongside the humanitarian demining organization, Pike detailed her encounter with Victoria, a survivor who suffered life-altering injuries as a teenager after unknowingly interacting with an explosive device while gathering firewood. “During my recent visit to Sri Lanka with Mines Advisory Group, I had the privilege of meeting Victoria,” Pike shared. “When she was 18, she found an interesting object lying on the ground while she was out collecting firewood. She didn’t know what it was but her curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to open it, and find out what might be inside. Her first instinct was to bite it… nothing happened. She threw it on the ground and tried to kick it. Again, nothing happened. She lifted it into her lap and sat down to exert some pressure on what she thought was the lid. She pushed her upper hand firmly into the object to try and release it. And then she woke up in hospital: missing two hands, part of her face and having suffered internal injuries to the area near her heart.” she said.
Describing Victoria’s journey as a “remarkable story of resilience and hope,” the MAG Ambassador underscored the persistent danger posed by landmines remaining in former conflict zones decades after it had ended.
“Her story also shows why this work matters. Landmines and unexploded weapons can remain hidden for decades, putting children at risk as they go about their everyday lives,” Pike emphasized. “The land must be cleared, so that no other child has to face what Victoria did.” she noted. (Newswire)
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