Child Soldiers of LTTE Tamil Tigers |
Tiger rebels intensify recruitment drive in Sri Lanka's north and east
Gulf News: December 21, 2004
Colombo : Tamil guerrillas are carrying out an intensified recruitment drive in the northern and eastern parts of the
country.
They say they need to be prepared to protect their villages in the event of the resumption of war, civilian sources based
in the area said.
As many as 400 children and youth are reported to have been recruited from the north eastern Trincomalee district
alone.
Similar enlisting has been taking place in the northern Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullativu and Jaffna districts, the civilians
said.
Tamil guerrilla regional offices have explained to the public to join them voluntarily as they need to protect their villages
in the future, but in the wake of the failure to obtain a good response from the public they have been forcibly recruited.
A journalist based in the north eastern port city of Trincomalee quoting civilian sources said that in some of the cases
persons who joined them voluntarily to obtain a training to provide protection to their villages were later forced to enlist
in the regular fighting group.
[Full Story]
Human Rights Watch Report
Canada: Tamil Rights Advocates at Risk
Human Rights Watch: December 20, 2004
(Toronto, December 21, 2004) -
Human Rights Watch expressed concern today about possible threats to Sri Lankan
Tamil human rights advocates in Toronto following a public forum on child soldiers in Sri Lanka at the Scarborough Civic Center on December 12. The forum drew some 250 members of the Sri Lankan Tamil community for a
presentation of Human Rights Watch's recent report on the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Sri Lanka by the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Dozens of presumed LTTE supporters repeatedly disrupted the meeting with
shouting and heckling. Some members of the audience took photographs and video of the participants.
Following the event, Human Rights Watch offices in both Toronto and New York received phone calls from apparent
LTTE supporters threatening to expose the identities of local Tamils who had contacts with Human Rights Watch in a
manner that would place them at risk.
"In light of past intimidation and violence by Tamil Tiger supporters against Toronto's Sri Lankan Tamil community,
these ominous calls to our offices give us real cause for concern," said Brad Adams, executive director of Human
Rights Watch's Asia Division. "We are confident the Canadian authorities will take appropriate action to investigate the
matter and ensure the safety of the meeting's participants."
Human Rights Watch has reported the telephone calls to the Scarborough police.
[Full Story]
Rights group warns of Tamil Tiger threats in Toronto
AFP / Hindustan Times: December 20, 2004
The New York-based rights watchdog said presumed supporters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
shouted and heckled speakers during a meeting, which drew 250 people in a Toronto suburb on December 12.
"Dozens of presumed LTTE supporters repeatedly disrupted the meeting with shouting and heckling. Some members
of the audience took photographs and video of the participants," the rights group said.
After the meeting, the group said people who apparently supported the Tigers called its offices in Toronto and New York
threatening to expose the identities of Tamils at the meeting "in a manner that would put them at risk."
.....
The meeting in the Scarborough suburb of Toronto focused on Human Rights Watch's report on the recruitment and use
of child soldiers in Sri Lanka by the LTTE.
The group warned that the Sri Lankan government truce with Tiger rebels had brought fear instead of a peace dividend
because of the continued forced recruitment of thousands of child soldiers.
The Tigers had continued to enlist boys and girls under 18 years old since the Oslo-brokered truce went into effect in
February 2002, the rights group said.
[Full Story]
LTTE abducts nearly 400 children?
Daily Mirror: December 20, 2004
Police sources said that there is reliable information to say that about 400 children had been abducted by the Tigers
from the Trincomalee district since the Maweerar week up to date.
A senior police officer said that according to the information available the abducted children are presently being trained
at Sampur camp in Trincomalee. He said the parents refrain from making complaints to the police for fear of the Tigers.
"However, they lament and plead the Tigers to release their children," the police sources said.
Meanwhile, Tigers have issued orders to the Tamil community in the Trincomalee district to get their valuable house
hold goods disposed of because they would not be able to take them in the event of being asked to leave their
dwellings at short notice.
[Full Story]
Canada's Tamils must rethink LTTE support
Toronto Star : December 19, 2004
Toroto Star, December 19. NEW YORK—Selvamani, a Tamil girl living in eastern Sri Lanka was only 15 when rebel forces began pressuring her to join them. "First they sent letters, then they began visiting my house," she said. "They told my family, `Each house has to turn over one child. If you don't agree, we will take a child anyway.'"
Not long afterwards, in August, 2002, soldiers from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, or Tamil Tigers) abducted Selvamani while she was walking to class. They took her to a military training camp where she learned to use weapons, including landmines and bombs. During training, when she became too weary to continue and asked to rest, the rebels beat her.
Canadian Tamils don't have to worry that their children will one day vanish on the way home from school and end up in a military training camp. But the Tamil community in Canada bears some responsibility for the fate of children like Selvamani. Many of Canada's 250,000 Sri Lankan Tamils provide financial and political support for the LTTE, enabling the group to continue its recruitment and use of child soldiers.
The LTTE receives significant funding (often through charitable "fronts") from Sri Lankan Tamils overseas. With the largest Tamil diaspora in the world, Canada is a significant source of such funding. Some experts estimate that Tamils in Canada provide $1 million to $2 million each month to front organizations for the LTTE.
Many Tamil donors may be unaware that their contributions support the recruitment of child soldiers. Although a 2002 ceasefire brought an end to active fighting between the LTTE and the government, the Tigers have continued to recruit thousands of children into their ranks, often by force.
During an investigation earlier this year in eastern Sri Lanka, dozens of children told Human Rights Watch that they had been forced or coerced to join the Tamil Tigers. Like Selvamani, they described rebel soldiers traveling from house to house, threatening Tamil families with violence unless they agreed to provide their sons and daughters for military service. When families refuse, the Tamil Tigers often abduct children from their homes at night, or pick them up from temple festivals or other public places.
Many children are living in fear. Some are too scared to go to school, believing they may be snatched on the way. Others are afraid to leave their homes.
Vanji had already spent several years in the Tamil Tigers and been severely disabled in combat when the Tamil Tigers took her younger brother in July. She went to the local Tamil Tigers camp to beg for his return, saying, ``I gave you years of my life and I gave you my health. Please let me have my brother back.''
Not only did the Tamil Tigers refuse to return her brother, Vanji said, but they also threatened to shoot her if she reported the case. The rebels also told her that she had to rejoin their forces. She asked, ``Is this how they thank me for all the time I gave them? Why are they doing this to me?''
At least 3,500 children have been recruited by the Tamil Tigers since the start of the ceasefire in February, 2002, according to cases documented by UNICEF. The U.N. agency states that this number is only a portion of the true total, as many families may be unable or too afraid to register their case.
International law prohibits the recruitment of children under the age of 18 by non-state armed groups, and their participation in an armed conflict. The recruitment — whether voluntarily or forced — and use of children under the age of 15 is now considered a war crime.
The Tigers deny that they recruit children by force, and instead claim that any children in their forces have joined because of poverty, lack of educational opportunities, or because they are orphaned and have no one to care for them. Although some children do join for these reasons or because they want to fight for an independent Tamil state in Sri Lanka, such ``voluntary'' recruitment is also a violation of international law.
Many Tamils in Canada fled the war in Sri Lanka and are now able to raise their families in safety. But they still have a responsibility to the children and families left behind. They should actively question the LTTE on its recruitment of children. They should urge the LTTE to publicly inform families throughout the north and east of its commitment not to recruit children, and to create a high-level task force to resolve outstanding cases of under-age recruitment. Most importantly, the Tamil community should withhold any financial support for the LTTE or organizations providing it with support until UNICEF verifies that all child recruitment and other serious human rights violations have stopped.
[Full Story]
Alliance for Peace asks donor countries to justify Norway's role
Colombo Page: December 19, 2004
The World Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka (WAPS) yesterday asked donor nations to tell the Sri Lankan people how
they justify Norway's role in the peace process.
The organisation issued a press statement after concluding a second international conference at the BMICH on
Saturday titled “Towards Democracy and Peace in Sri Lanka”. Several speakers made speeches on regional security,
Norway’s role as mediator in the peace process, child soldiers, the proposed ISGA, and the viability of a federal
solution to the ethnic conflict.
“The statement of the ‘donor nations’ and the appeasement of the LTTE by Norway and the EU places a clear choice
before the people of Sri Lanka. Either accept the terrorist LTTE’s terms and the silver pieces of ‘the donors’, or there
will be hell to pay,” the organisation said.
“May we repeat a section from the landmark report on child soldiers for the donors' elucidation. The report, ‘Living in
Fear’ (Human Rights Watch, Nov 2004), says, ‘The donor community is well-placed to insist that the LTTE abide by
its commitments under its own repeated declarations to cease under-age recruitment. The Tokyo Conference
Declaration has provided the space for such an insistence.’
“We consider it appalling that the donor countries have chosen to criticise the democratic stand taken by the JVP
while covertly extending a blind eye to the LTTE’s continuing intransigence and terrorism,” WAPS contended.
[Full Story]
Killing spree continues.
Lanka Academic: December 18, 2004
K.S. Rajkumar reporting from Jaffna., December 17. Despite the ceasefire agreement the LTTE continues it's
campaign of murder and intimidation of Tamils in the North and East of Sri lanka as well as in the capitol city of
Colombo. Within the last two days LTTE had killed three Tamils in the eastern district of batticaloa. Ponnampalam
Wijeyakumar, a 28 year old Tamil youth from Kallady was kidnapped by LTTE men on the 13th of December. His
beheaded body was found on the 17th. A. Jeyaharan, from the same township was shot by LTTE men who came to
his house on a motorbike, dragged him out of the house, and shot and killed him in front of his family. 27 year old
Sivaguru Thiyagaraja of Kaluvarnkerny village was shot and killed on the 17th of December, while he was on his way
to work. Residents in the area identified the killers as members of the Vanni LTTE's intelligence wing.
Meanwhile in the north, residents of Kodikamam and other Thenmaradchy areas said that LTTE intelligence cadres are
roaming in the night carrying swords and knives. Interestingly enough LTTE had spread rumors in the area that SL
army's military intelligence unit members are the ones who are roaming the areas in the night with swords. Earlier this
year, a Tamil family of three, including the 8 month old baby was brutally chopped and murdered by the LTTE in the
same area. Members of the LTTE's political wing are visiting schools and private tuition centers in the north and
demanding students to join the LTTE saying that " war is imminent". It is reported that many concerned parents
are trying to send their children to Colombo and other areas to prevent them from being "volunteered" for the LTTE
baby brigades.
[Full Story]
Seminar on Child Soldiers distrupted in Toronto
Lanka Acdemic: December 15, 2004
Special correspondent from Toronto , December 15.
A discussion forum organized by the New York based Human
Rights Watch (HRW) was held in Toronto on Sunday the 12th of December. More than 300 people attended the
seminar. The seminar was on a study conducted by HRW on child soldiers in Sri Lanka.
Before the meeting commenced , about 20 youths made loud noises and shouted at the speakers demanding that
they should be given a chance to address the audience. They were trying to disturb the meeting. When former Ontario
premier Bob Rae who was the keynote speaker got ready to speak, Mr. Gary Sangary went on to the podium and
began interrupting the speaker. LTTE activists in the audience demanded that Rev. Chandrakanathan, a catholic priest
should also be given a chance to address the gathering as a "representative of the Tamil Community".
However, the organizers said that Rev. Chandrakanathan is a partisan Tamil, and would reflect a partisan view where
upon the LTTE activists responded with yelling and shouting profanity. Sensing a deteriorating security situation, the
Police was called in to ensure the security of the speakers and the audience.
After the Metro Police arrived in the auditorium, the LTTE activists calmed down, and Mr. Rae addressed the meeting. In his speech, Mr. Rae expressing his disappointment said, “in my entire political career, I was not
interrupted like this when expressing my opinion”. As the president of the Federation of Forums, Mr. Rae has met with
senior LTTE leaders several times, and had traveled to Kilinochchi this year and conducted discussions with S.P.
Tamilselevan, LTTE’s political head.
[Full Story]
International Confab on 'Towards Democracy and Peace in Sri Lanka'
Sunday Observer: December 12, 2004
The World Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka (WAPS), in association with the Sansadaya (Forum), will hold its second
international conference, on the theme, "Towards Democracy and Peace in Sri Lanka" on December 18 at the
BMICH. This would be a follow-up to the successful but controversial 'Oslo Conference' on "Road Map to Peace in Sri
Lanka", held in Oslo last August.
....
The second session will deal with 'Terrorism and the Peace Process' with Prof. Shantha Hennayake addressing on
'Impact of the LTTE on Civilian Life', Prof. Harendra de Silva on 'Child Soldiers in the Name of Martyrdom', Prof. G.H.
Peiris on 'Oslo Declaration: What is it?' and S.L. Gunasekera on ISGA and the Future of Sri Lanka. The third session
will focus on a range of silenced voices under the title 'Democratic Voices from the North and East', with TULF and
EPDP spokesman speaking on 'Democratic Politics for Tamils'.
[Full Story]
Donations may fund child-soldier recruiting in Sri Lanka, group says
The Globe and Mail: December 10, 2004
An international human-rights organization is warning members of Canada's Tamil community that their donations to
organizations in Sri Lanka may be used in the recruitment of child soldiers.
Human Rights Watch reported sectarian rebel group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has continued to recruit child
soldiers in order to solidify the group's position in the north and east of the country.
"What we hope to do is encourage the Tamil community in Canada to use both their political and financial influence
with the LTTE to push this issue and directly question the LTTE about their child-recruitment policies and practices,"
Jo Becker, Human Rights Watch children's rights advocacy director, said yesterday.
...
"The Tamil community abroad needs to be aware that even though there has been a ceasefire in Sri Lanka for close to
three years, it has not affected child recruitment," Ms. Becker said.
The LTTE is listed by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist organization, but is not on Canada's list of anned
terrorist entities.
Ms. Becker cited a 2001 report by the Washington-based Rand Corporation on outside funding of insurgent groups,
which reported widespread financial support for the LTTE from the Tamil diaspora, including an alleged quota of $646 a
year expected by the LTTE from employed Tamils in Canada, often collected through means of intimidation.
"I've heard cases of people having their relatives back in Sri Lanka threatened if the family didn't give a certain amount
of money," she said.
[Full Story]
Sri Lanka violence fears sour return to normality
Financial Times - London,England: December 04, 2004
Sri Lanka's seaside capitalof Colombo bustles with life as if the country's two decades of civil war were a distant
memory. Foreign tourists, whose spending is vital to the island's economy, are returning to its tropical shores in
record numbers. Hotels say business is so good they are struggling to find rooms.
.........
On the rebel side, human rights groups have accused the Tigers of recruiting thousands more child soldiers.
[Full Story]
'Our family has sacrificed in blood for this nation'
Daily News: December 03, 2004
Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike told Parliament yesterday the Bandaranaike family had sacrificed in blood for
this nation.
Addressing the Speaker, he said: "N. Raviraj, MP, has, on November 24, 2004, in the House, during a course of a
debate, made several incorrect, palpably false venomous mischievous and misleading statements about the
Bandaranaike family.
.....
Neither my parents, nor my sister nor myself, have ever hid in bunkers and sent women and child soldiers to
assassinate elected leaders of this Nation and of India and massacred thousands of innocent Tamil people, harmless
Buddhist monks and totally innocent Sinhala and Muslim persons.
The Tamils who disagreed with the terrorist had been butchered in the heart of the city of Colombo in the last few
months. Cry havoc and lets slip the dogs of war.
[Full Story]
Use of child soldiers declining but still widespread
Associated Press/Lanka Academic: November 17, 2004
In the Asia-Pacific region, the report says that thousands of child soldiers were recruited and used in active
conflicts --mainly by antigovernment groups -- in India, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Nepal and Sri Lanka - .
The use of children by armed groups in Laos was also reported.
The report highlights Myanmar as a country of concern, despite the government there claiming that it only recruits
those over the age of 18 and on a voluntary basis.
Witnesses report that possibly tens of thousands of child soldiers under 18 are still members of the army, with boys
as young as 12 being forcibly recruited to the ranks, according to the report.
''Boys were abducted from schools, bus stations and the streets. They were beaten and detained if they tried to
escape the poor food and harsh conditions in military camps,'' the study states.
[Full Story]
Tamil Tigers still enlisting thousands of child soldiers
The Guardian : November 12, 2004
Thousands of child soldiers have been forcibly recruited by Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka despite a ceasefire called in
2002 between the government and the separatists, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.
The New York-based organisation accused the Tigers of continuing to enlist boys and girls at a rate of more than 100 a
month in a clear violation of promises given when the peace accord was signed two years ago.
The forced recruitment had brought fear instead of the expected peace dividend, the report said. When families refused
to allow their children to be recruited the children were sometimes abducted from their homes at night or forcibly
recruited while walking to school. Parents who resisted recruitment faced attacks or detention.
"The ceasefire has brought an end to the fighting but not to the Tamil Tigers' use of children as soldiers," said Jo
Becker, the children's rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch.
The report cites figures from Unicef, which has documented 3,516 cases of underage recruitment since the signing of
the ceasefire agreement. Human Rights Watch estimates that the Tamil Tigers now have more than 5,000 child
soldiers in their ranks, some as young as 10.
[Full Story]
Fact Sheet on Child Soldiers in Sri Lanka
Human Rights Watch: November 11, 2004
[Full Story]
Personal accounts from “Living in Fear: Child Soldiers and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka:”
Human Rights Watch: November 11, 2004
Note: the names used are not the children’s real names.
My parents refused to give me to the LTTE so about 15 of them came to my house—it was both men and women, in
uniforms, with rifles, and guns in holsters…. I was fast asleep when they came to get me at one in the morning.…
These people dragged me out of the house. My father shouted at them, saying, “What is going on?”, but some of the
LTTE soldiers took my father away towards the woods and beat him…. They also pushed my mother onto the ground
when she tried to stop them.
— Rangini, a girl recruited by the LTTE in 2003 at age 16
I went to school to grade 5. I dropped out because my mother and father died. No one cared for me, I had no parents,
so I was willing to join. I lived with my aunt after my parents died. I cooked for her family. I had frustration in my life, so
I was willing to join the LTTE. I wanted to live in this world without anyone’s help. When I joined the LTTE, I went to the
political office, and told the LTTE I wanted to join. They agreed. I told them I was sixteen, but they didn’t care.
— Vanmathi, a girl who joined the LTTE in 2003 at age 16
The training was very difficult. They don’t care if it’s a rainy or sunny day. If you get too tired and can’t continue, they
will beat you. Once when I first joined, I was dizzy. I couldn’t continue and asked for a rest. They said, “This is the
LTTE. You have to face problems. You can’t take a rest.” They hit me four or five times with their hands.
— Selvamani, a girl recruited in 2002 at age 15
After four months I was sent to a landmines unit. I learned to handle landmines, to place them. I did this for four
months. I couldn’t concentrate. Sometime a landmine would explode and children would be injured. Their fingers,
hands, face. One time we were working in a line, and the last girl made a mistake when removing a landmine. It
exploded and she lost a finger. She was 17. I was scared to handle them.
— Vimala, a girl recruited in 2003 at age 17
Lots of people tried to escape. But if you get caught, they take you back and beat you. Some children die. If you do it
twice, they shoot you. In my wing, if someone escaped, the whole group was lined up to watch them get beaten. I saw
it happen, and know of cases from other groups. If the person dies, they don’t tell you, but we know it happens.
— Nirmala, a girl recruited in 2001 at age 14
[Full Story]
Sample letter to the Secretary General of the LTTE’s Peace Secretariat
Human Rights Watch: November 11, 2004
The following is a sample letter to the Secretary General of the LTTE’s Peace Secretariat regarding the LTTE’s
recruitment and use of child soldiers. Use it to create your own letter to send to Mr. Puleedevan at:
puleeltte@yahoo.co.uk or
puleeltte@hotmail.com
[Full Story]
Human Rights Watch slams LTTE for child recruitment
Daily News: November 11, 2004
The truce with the LTTE has brought fear instead of the expected peace dividend because of the continued forced
recruitment of thousands of child soldiers, a rights group said yesterday.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch in its latest report accused the LTTE of continuing to enlist boys and girls
below the age of 18 years since the Oslo-brokered truce went into effect in February 2002. .
"The ceasefire has brought an end to the fighting but not to the Tamil Tigers' use of children as soldiers," said Jo
Becker, children's rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch and a co-author of the report.
"Many Tamil families who expected a 'peace dividend' now expect an unwelcome visit from armed Tiger recruiters."
[Full Story]
Rights Group Charges Sri Lanka Rebels Continue to Use Child Soldiers
Plit Info: November 11, 2004
The international rights group, Human Rights Watch, says Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels are still recruiting child
soldiers, despite a ceasefire with the government.
The Sri Lankan government signed a ceasefire with the Tamil Tiger guerrilla group in February 2002.
Even though the fighting has stopped, Tejshree Thapa from Human Rights Watch says the rebels continue to abduct
and illegally recruit children to join their forces.
"What is particularly disturbing, of course, is that despite the ceasefire, the recruitment seems to be continuing, and in
government-controlled areas, increasing."
[Full Story]
Living in Fear
Child Soldiers and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka
Human Rights Watch: November 11, 2004
For Tamil families in the North and East of Sri Lanka, the February 2002 cease-fire that has brought an end to the
fighting between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has brought little relief from one of the
worst aspects of the twenty-year conflict: the LTTE’s recruitment and use of children as soldiers. Despite an end to
active hostilities and repeated pledges by the LTTE leadership to end its recruitment of children, the practice has
continued not only in LTTE controlled areas, but now reaches into government areas in the North and East where the
LTTE previously had little access. This report focuses on continued LTTE recruitment of children during the cease-fire
period, including re-recruitment of children released from the LTTE’s eastern faction in 2004.
[Full Story]
Prabha's children eligible for Sri Lanka Government campus
But the Prabha's LTTE have frequently used children as guerilla fighters
Sinhala Net: November 11, 2004
LTTE leader fighting with the Sri Lankan Government, Velupillai Prabhakaran's children who sat the GCE Advanced
Level examination on April 6th this year have reportedly gained eligibility for entrance to a Sri Lankan university.
But Examination Department official’s sources said to SinhalaNet that the rebel leader's children sat for the exams
separately in a secret jungle hideout so they have no way of establishing if they were properly supervised.
The Government has an unusual arrangement whereby thousands of exam papers are transported into rebel areas
every year by international agencies like the United Nations and the Red Cross. This is how a generation of
schoolchildren who have grown up knowing nothing but war obtains internationally recognized qualifications.
[Full Story]
Western diplomats fume against Tamil Tigers:
New Kerala: November 10, 2004
World News]: Colombo, Nov 10 : As Norwegian peacemakers prepare to meet Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai
Prabhakaran Thursday, it is clear the Western world's patience with Sri Lanka's guerrillas is running thin.
Probably for the first time since the February 2002 truce, Western diplomats here are making no efforts to hide their
annoyance with what they feel is the intransigence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) towards reviving the
peace process.
......
But what is deeply worrying the West is the LTTE's refusal to halt its murderous spree against its real and perceived
foes here and elsewhere and its unending recruitment of children, particularly in the east, despite repeated appeals by
Western countries and international organisations.
[Full Story]
Plight of the Tamil Tiger child soldiers
The Herald: November 10, 2004
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have recruited more than 3500 child soldiers since signing a ceasefire with the government in 2002, despite promises to stop the practice, an international human rights group said.
In a report issued today, the New York-based Human Rights Watch accused the rebels of using intimidation and force to enlist minors – sometimes abducting children from their homes.
It said the rebels treat the children harshly.
"Children described rigorous and sometimes brutal military training, including training with weapons, bombs and
landmines. Children who try to escape are typically beaten in front of their entire unit as a warning to others," the group
said.
The report included accounts from dozens of children forced into military service with the Tigers. Some children said those who tried to escape repeatedly were executed.
[Full Story]
Tamil Tigers recruit more than 3,500 child soldiers since 2002, human rights group says
Yahoo News / AP: November 9, 2004
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have recruited more than 3,500 child soldiers since signing a cease-fire with the
government in 2002, despite pledges to stop the practice, an international human rights group said.
In a report issued Wednesday, New York-based Human Rights Watch accused the rebels of using intimidation and
force to enlist minors _ sometimes abducting children from their homes.
It said the rebels treat the children harshly.
"Children described rigorous and sometimes brutal military training, including training with heavy weapons, bombs and
land mines. Children who try to escape are typically beaten in front of their entire unit as a warning to others," the group
said.
The report included firsthand accounts from dozens of children who were forced into military service with the Tigers. Some children said those who tried to escape repeatedly were executed.
"My parents refused to give me to the (rebels) so about 15 of them came to my house. These people dragged me out of
the house," said a girl who had been recruited in 2003 at the age of 16. She said her father was beaten when he tried
to stop the guerrillas from taking her.
Since the rebels signed a truce in 2002, at least 3,516 children have been enlisted by the insurgents, the group said,
citing cases documented by the U.N. children's agency.
"The agency states that this figure represents only a portion of the total number of children recruited," Human Rights
Watch added.
Human rights groups have previously accused the Tigers of using at least 4,000 child soldiers in their 20-year fight for a
separate state for the island's minority Tamils.
The rebels have repeatedly denied actively recruiting children, claiming any minor who joins their forces does so
because of poverty or the loss of parents.
Last year, the rebels agreed with both UNICEF and the government to free all child combatants, but the U.N. agency
has accused the insurgents of continuing to seek child soldiers.
[Full Story]
TRINCOMALEE
Four school-goers and one twenty-year old youth abducted
Situation Report: SL Army: October 12, 2004
Four teenaged boys and one twenty-year old youngster were rescued by naval troops on duty at the
SAMBALTIVU roadblock in the general area of UPPUVELI on 27 October 2004 around 1.30 p.m. while they
were being abducted by LTTE.
Those four sixteen-year old school-goers from MUTTUR, THAMBALAGAMUWA and BATTICALOA areas and the
other twenty-year old one from BATTICALOA area were being accompanied by an LTTE cadre, named KARUWANNA
(LTTE ID no.1927) in a double cab (54-2459) when they were arrested by naval troops.
Those boys sans any Identity Cards were initially handed over to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) who in turn
handed them over to the THAMBALAGAMUWA Police for necessary actions.
Those boys are to be produced shortly before the court in TRINCOMALEE by the Police before they are released to
their next of kin.
All five boys except one had told the Police that they were forcibly taken away by LTTE for reasons obvious only to
their abductors. The Police investigations are on.
Names & particulars of the escapees are withheld for obvious security reasons and questions of human rights.
[Full Story]
CRISIS PROFILE: Sri Lanka grapples with peace process
Reuters: October 27, 2004
LONDON (AlertNet ) - Despite a two-year ceasefire, violence and suffering are still a fact of life for many in Sri Lanka.
Some 64,000 have died in 20 years of bitter civil war. An uneasy standoff between the government and Tamil Tiger
rebels has left the country deeply fractured and the after effects of the war linger.
Hundreds of thousands of refugees are unable to return to their homes. Millions of landmines and explosive debris have
left large areas of land uninhabitable. Malnutrition is widespread among children in conflict-stricken areas, while boys
and girls under 15 continue to be abducted and trained for war.
......
One of the biggest tragedies of the conflict in Sri Lanka has been the widespread use of child soldiers by the Tigers
and other Tamil groups. Boys and girls under 15 were forcibly abducted from their parents to fight for the Tigers. In
some cases, children as young as nine have been recruited.
The Tigers have pledged to put a stop to the recruitment of child soldiers, but UNICEF says the practice continues --
albeit in smaller numbers. Parents who try to prevent abductions are threatened with violence.
The problem is endemic in this conflict. When 1,300 child soldiers were released by the Tigers in 2003, many were
swiftly re-recruited or are known to have returned to service voluntarily. Transit care centres for former child soldiers are
underfunded and run by Tiger organisations in Tiger-controlled areas.
[Full Story]
Abducted Tamil youths rescued
BBC: October 27, 2004
Five Tamil youths abducted by the Tamil Tigers have been detained with two LTTE carders, the security forces say.
The Tigers were forcefully taking them to Sampur LTTE camp, the youths told the Sri Lanka Navy officers, when the
truck they travelled stopped and searched at a check point in Nilaveli.
All seven were handed over to Trincomalee office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) by the Navy officials.
The police said however the SLMM have released two LTTE members with the truck. The youths, all
between 16 and 24, were then handed over to Uppuweli police station by the SLMM.
[Full Story]
Teenager flees from LTTE camp
Lanka Academic: October 27, 2004
A teenager abducted and detained by the LTTE had managed to escape from a LTTE camp at Sampoor in
Trincomalee yesterday. After fleeing from the LTTE camp, the teenager had surrendered himself at an Army
checkpoint in Thoppur. An army spokesman said “the eighteen-year old youngster was abducted on October 22
and had been detained by LTTE in order to be sent to Vavuniya for arms training. The youngster was produced
before the Court today after which he was formally delivered to his parents.
[Full Story]
LTTE abducts teenager from Valachchenai
Lanka Academic: October 27, 2004
LTTE has again increased its recruitment drive through abductions. The latest incident comes from Valachchenai in
Batticaloa, when LTTE cadres abducted a sixteen-year-old schoolboy. According to Eravur Police, LTTE cadres had
come in two motorbikes and had taken away the boy. The victim, a student attached to the Hindu College in
Valachchenai was at the three-wheeler park in the town to deliver his father’s raincoat when he was abducted. The
boy’s father has informed of the incident to the police, and several eyewitnesses have also been questioned in
this regard.
[Full Story]
Is India again playing a role in Sri Lankan politics?
NewIndPress: October 22, 2004
NEW DELHI: An unexpected development has sparked speculation that India might
be getting involved again in Sri Lanka's Tamil politics, for the first time
since the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Last week, in an announcement that took everyone by surprise, the newly
formed political party of V. Muraleedharan alias Karuna, the former regional
commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), teamed up with the
Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF), a militant
group-turned-political party that for long has been based primarily in India.
......
The ENDLF-Karuna statement is very harsh on the LTTE, which in recent times
has come under increasing flak globally for killing rival Tamils and
recruiting child soldiers. Interestingly, the statement is equally critical
of Norway, which has been accused of being biased in favour of the LTTE.
[Full Story]
Following President Kumaratunga's persistent efforts:
Permanent peace on the horizon
Daily News: October 18, 2004
With President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga relentlessly pursuing her
efforts to put the peace process back on track through the establishment of
the National Advisory Council on Peace and Reconciliation (NACPR) and the
LTTE expressing its willingness to discuss counter proposals by the
Government at the negotiating table, there are positive signs for an early
resumption of peace talks between the Government and the LTTE.
......
Mounting pressure is also being brought on the LTTE to get back to the
negotiating table with some Western countries making their views clear in no
uncertain terms to LTTE political Wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan during his
current visit of European countries.
International Human Rights Groups have also stridently voiced their concern
over many human rights abuses by the LTTE including the recruitment of child
soldiers and their atrocities.
[Full Story]
Japanese special envoy to visit Sri Lanka
China Ecomomic Net: October 17, 2004
Japanese special envoy Yasushi Akashi will arrive here later this month to
push for the early resumption of peace talks between the Sri Lankan
government and the Tamil Tiger rebels, the state-owned Sunday Observer
newspaper reported.
Akashi, who is due to be here on Oct. 27, will hold talks with high ranking
officials of both the government and the opposition in capital Colombo and
the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in the
rebel-held northern town of Kilinochchi.
He is expected to raise the issues of LTTE's recruitment of child soldiers
and political killings in the north and east as well as in Colombo when he
meets the LTTE leadership.
[Full Story]
Calmy-Rey urges Sri Lankans to find peace
SwissInfo: October 12, 2004
Switzerland's foreign minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey, has warned that Sri
Lanka risks sliding back into civil war if peace talks do not resume soon.
Speaking during an official visit to the troubled island, she said both the
Sri Lankan government and rebel Tamil Tigers needed to head back to the
negotiating table.
.....
Little progress
Swiss officials concede, though, that little progress has been made towards
achieving a lasting peace in Sri Lanka.
They say that despite the truce, political murders and the recruitment of
child soldiers are still taking place.
[Full Story]
WANNI
Another teenager flees LTTE and surrenders to ICRC
Situation Report: SL Army: October 12, 2004
A teenaged boy who was abducted and later conscripted to the LTTE but managed
to escape subsequently from LTTE detention was accompanied to the OMANTHAI
Entry/Exit point by the officials of International Committee of Red Cross
(ICRC), UNICEF and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) on 11 October 2004
around 1.00 p.m.
The seventeen-year old escapee, a resident from PUTTALAM area was doing a job
in MULLAITTIVU area when he was abducted by LTTE, according to information.
The ICRC and the SLMM however handed over the teenager to the UNICEF at
VAVUNIYA.
The escapee was to be delivered to his parents by the UNICEF shortly
after preliminary inquiries are over. Name and particulars of the escapee are withheld for obvious security reasons
and question of human rights.
[Full Story]
Amnesty International’s Global Round-Up: Latest Human Rights News
Scoop.co.nz (press release): October 11, 2004
Sri Lanka: Human rights organizations urge visiting Tamil Tiger delegation to
end killings & recruitment of child soldiers Press release from ICJ, Human
Rights Watch and Amnesty International At a meeting with a senior Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) delegation visiting Geneva, human rights
organizations called on the LTTE to end political killings and the
recruitment of child soldiers and to demonstrate how they will respect
international law in Sri Lanka.
http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGASA370052004
[Full Story]
SLMM exposes Tiger record
Sunday Observer: October 10, 2004
The Tigers have recruited 1,424 children, out of which 45 have been abducted
during the last 28-month truce period ending August 31. They have also
abducted 359 adults during the same period, a spokesman of the Sri Lanka
Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said.
The SLMM's latest statistics reveal that from February 2002 to end-August
2004, from the 1,760 complaints recorded from all districts in the North and
East, 1,424 had been ruled as ceasefire violations, categorised as 'Child
Recruitment', broadly within the "Measures to Restore Normalcy" group.
Within the "Abduction" category for adults and children respectively, of 871
and 97 complaints recorded by the SLMM, 359 and 45 respectively, have been
declared as CFA violations.
[Full Story]
SLMM says LTTE has recruited 1,424 children
Colombo Page: October 10, 2004
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in its latest statistics shows the
LTTE has recruited 1,424 children, out of which 45 were abducted in the 28
months from February 2002 until August 2004.
In the first 28 months since the ceasefire agreement was signed, the SLMM
received 1,760 complaints relating to child recruitment. Of these, 1,424 have
been ruled as ceasefire violations. There are also 424 pending cases.
Overall, from 4,903 total complaints against the LTTE and 961 against the
government, 2,439 violations against the LTTE and 111 against the government
have gone on the record, the SLMM said.
There have also been 10 cases of torture, 28 of intimidation, 33 of extortion,
16 forced recruitment of adults and four assassinations by the LTTE that have
been ruled as violations.
Ten cases on the construction of new positions, eleven on the movement of
military equipment, and an instance where weapons had been deployed were also
ruled and recorded as ceasefire violations.
[Full Story]
Human Rights organizations tell LTTE :
Stop killings, recruitment of child soldiers
Daily News: October 08, 2004
At a meeting with a senior LTTE delegation visiting Geneva, Amnesty International,
Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called on the
LTTE to end political killings and the recruitment of child soldiers and
demonstrate how they will respect international humanitarian and human rights law
in Sri Lanka, states a press release from the ICJ, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty
International.
The release adds: The LTTE delegation, headed by S. P. Thamilselvan, leader of
their political wing, is visiting several European countries to consider the Tamil
Tigers' next steps in the stalled Sri Lankan peace process. International human
rights organizations met with the LTTE delegation on Tuesday, October 5.
"We appealed to the senior LTTE leaders to show the world that they are both
willing and capable of respecting the lives and rights of all Sri Lankans," said
Nicholas Howen, Secretary-General of the ICJ.
"We look to them to make a clear public commitment to international humanitarian
and human rights standards and practical ways of putting them into effect," he
added.
"At a time when we should be moving back to peace talks the LTTE seems to have
dramatically escalated the killing of perceived Tamil opponents and is still
recruiting child soldiers," said Loubna Frelh, Geneva Director for Human Rights
Watch.
[Full Story]
Press release from ICJ, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International:
Sri Lanka: Human rights organizations urge visiting Tamil Tiger delegation to end killings & recruitment of child soldiers
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: October 06, 2004
At a meeting with a senior Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) delegation
visiting Geneva, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called on the LTTE to end political
killings and the recruitment of child soldiers and demonstrate how they
will respect international humanitarian and human rights law in Sri Lanka.
The LTTE delegation, headed by S.P. Thamilselvan, leader of their political
wing, is visiting several European countries to consider the Tamil Tigers'
next steps in the stalled Sri Lankan peace process. International human
rights organizations met with the LTTE delegation on Tuesday 5 October.
"We appealed to the senior LTTE leaders to show the world that they are both
willing and capable of respecting the lives and rights of all Sri Lankans,"
said Nicholas Howen, Secretary-General of the ICJ. "We look to them to make
a clear public commitment to international humanitarian and human rights
standards and practical ways of putting them into effect," he added.
"At a time when we should be moving back to peace talks the LTTE seems to
have dramatically escalated the killing of perceived Tamil opponents and is
still recruiting child soldiers," said Loubna Freih, Geneva Director for
Human Rights Watch.
Victims of killings have included activists from Tamil political parties not
aligned with the LTTE, members of a rival LTTE faction in the east, and
alleged Sri Lankan military informants.
[Full Story]
Sri Lankan all Buddhist monk party to join peace council
xinhuanet: October 05, 2004
COLOMBO, Oct. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Sri Lanka's all Buddhist monk partyhas said
that they would support and join the government's peace council only after
the Tamil Tiger rebels accept the territorial integrity and the legal
framework of the country, The Island newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Leader of the JHU or National Heritage Party Ellawela Medanandasaid on
Monday that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels should
wholeheartedly accept the territorial integrity and the legal framework of
the land, giving up all ideas of recommencing peace talks based on their
proposals for an Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA).
He said that the LTTE should hand over all weapons in their possession,
stop recruiting child soldiers and pledge to join the democratic
mainstream in the country.
[Full Story]
Explains Govt's objective on National Peace Advisory Council :
President urges UNP to reconsider its stance
Daily News: October 04, 2004
The National Advisory Council on Peace and Reconciliation (NACPR) will
provide a consultative forum for the Government that is engaged in a process
of dialogue with the LTTE, to continually keep the country and its
representatives informed of the progress and issues of the peace Process on
one hand, and on the other for the Government to obtain the views of the
country, mainly through its political representatives as well as from
religious leaders and representatives of various interests groups, states
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in a letter addressed to the
Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe replying to his letter of September 24.
......
It urged the LTTE to immediately end attacks against the Government and to
stop using children as combatants. "We call upon the LTTE to end violence
against political opponents and to cease the recruitment of child soldiers."
[Full Story]
US urges Sri Lanka, Tamil Tigers to return to peace talks quickly
AFP/News.Designerz.com : October 02, 2004
WASHINGTON: The United States called for a speedy return to peace talks by the Sri Lankan
government and the Tamil Tigers as the rebels began a week-long meeting to
prepare for a next round of negotiations.
The State Department on Friday praised Sri Lankan President Chandrika
Kumaratunga for her "flexibility" in attempting to renew the talks and said
any further delay in their resumption would hurt the interests of both sides.
In addition, spokesman Richard Boucher urged the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) to immediately end attacks against the government and to stop
using children as combattants in their struggle for an independent homeland.
[Full Story]
Ninety percent of LTTE combatants were children - CBK
Colombo Page: September 30, 2004
Sept 30, Colombo: President Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday charged that 90%
of LTTE combatants have been children.
Addressing the inaugural session of the South Asia Regional Mid-Term Review
of the Yokohama Global Commitment 2001 at Colombo’s Hotel Taj Samudra, the
President said her government is preparing children of this country to face
global challenges through discussion and negotiation rather than resorting
to bombs and bullets.
[Full Story]
President hits out at LTTE's child recruitment
Daily Mirror: September 30, 2004
President Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday implicitly accused the LTTE of using
child soldiers charging that 90% of its combatants were children.
President Kumaratunga stopped short of naming the LTTE directly but cautiously
said there were two sides of the civil war, cited the three year long
cease-fire and hinted that the LTTE was engaging children as cadres.
Addressing a conference on Mid-Term Review of the Yokohama Global Commitment
against child commercial sexual exploitation, the President said the civil war
apart, children in the country had suffered due to the uprising in the South
after 1971.
Quoting a slogan of the conference held at the Taj Samudra - "Promises kept,
promises forgotten" - where South Asian leaders gathered to review the progress
made so far in ending sexual exploitation of children, President Kumaratunga
assured the delegates of having fulfilled most of the promises.
Referring to a special UN conference on children the President attended in
United States a couple of years ago, she said it was agreed to draw up an
action plan to ensure the rights of children adding that she unveiled the
plan two weeks ago.
The President said she introduced educational reforms in 1994 but they were
shelved for a couple of years due to the change of government. The President
said she was committed to implement it fully.
She said school drop out rates were relatively low and the literacy rate
high but yet the education system needed to be upgraded to suit the present
needs. President Kumaratunga said committees were appointed in 25 schools to
implement the new reforms and more schools were to follow suit.
[Full Story]
Save civilians from the LTTE clutches, EPDP tells France
The Academic: September 23, 2004
The Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) during a meeting with French
Ambassador Jean Bernade de Vaivre have complained about the problems faced by
the civilians in the North East province due to the LTTE’s conduct and
activities.
An EPDP Delegation, headed by its Leader Douglas Devananda told the French
Envoy that the civilians were facing severe hardships due to the exorbitant
extortions demanded by the LTTE as ‘tax’. The people in these areas are very
poor and so they are finding it hard to pay these ‘tax, if they fail to even
pay such tax, they have to undergo severe harassment by the LTTE cadres.
The LTTE continue to ignore pleas not to recruit children to its Organisation
and goes ahead with child conscription, and no one seem to be able to do
anything about this problem as well, the EPDP members lamented, Adding that
such unethical actions should be stopped immediately, and the international
community must pressurise the LTTE to stop such activities.
[Full Story]
President in Address to UN General Assembly :
My Government has got a clear mandate for peace
Daily News: September 22, 2004
"My Government has obtained a clear mandate at numerous elections to end the
war and to bring about a negotiated settlement of the conflict that would
satisfy all the people of Sri Lanka founded on democracy, respect for human
rights, a pluralist polity and good governance.
......
Sri Lanka is firmly committed to the global endeavour to fight terrorism, she
stressed. The Government was also attempting to address the issue of the
recruitment of child soldiers by the LTTE. She said that political consensus
building, reconciliation, rehabilitation and the promotion of the rule of
law are essential for democracy to take root.
[Full Story]
Peace through dialogue, not war - President
Daily News: September 22, 2004
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga assured that the Government will
continue to pursue a lasting solution to the ethnic strife but expressed that
peace is more than the "simple absence of war."
....
Child proscription had always been a problem in the North and East and even
though it is not so severe after the ceasefire agreement, recruitment of
child soldiers is still being done, President said in response to a question
by a representative of Human Rights organisation.
[Full Story]
LTTE violating human rights, AI told
Daily News: September 21, 2004
The LTTE has violated the ceasefire agreement more than 3,000 times, states
Students for Human Rights in a letter to Amnesty International.
The letter stated: "We have made you aware on several occasions on the
continuous human rights violations by the direct involvement of LTTE in the
North and East provinces as well in Southern provinces of Sri Lanka.
Under the coverage of the peace process, the LTTE was engaged in continuous
child recruitment, ransoms, property robberies and especially open killings
of opposition political group members and leaders representing Tamil people.
That was the experience in the whole past history. According to statistics
the LTTE has violated the ceasefire agreement more than 3,000 times.
Continuing the opposition political activists' assassinations policy of the
LTTE another death was reported on September 18.
[Full Story]
TNA Blasts U.S. Policy
The Academic: September 13, 2004
K.S. Rajkumar from Jaffna
Leader of the Tamil National
Alliance, Mr. Rajavarothayam Sampanthan issued a statement warning the United
States that its approach could bring immense harm to the current peace
process in Sri Lanka. Mr. Sampanthan’s statement, published in the Tamil
daily from Jaffna, says that the United States is not taking a balanced
approach to the current crisis and is unfairly critical of the LTTE.
United States has repeatedly called on the LTTE to stop political
assassinations, and renounce terrorism.
However, the LTTE continues to murder political opponents and recruit
under-aged children to their ranks. Killings of civilians by the LTTE have
become a routine in Jaffna where at least one person is murdered by the LTTE
every day. None of the TNA MPs have ever raised any concerns about the
murders committed by the LTTE.
United States had recently accused that the LTTE has trained other terrorist
groups in the world and is in the "exalted" company of Al-Qaeda. Speaking in
Colombo, Mr. Cofer Black, US State Department Coordinator for Counter-terrorism,
said "I am disturbed at the LTTE's history as a terrorist organisation. It
has been a purveyor of training, knowledge and equipment to a spectrum of
terrorist groups, and we currently see many of these groups being mutually
supporting".
[Full Story]
Sri Lanka deadlock fuelling recruitment of child soldiers: UN agency
AFP/Yahoo News: September 9, 2004
COLOMBO (AFP) - Sri Lanka's stalled peace process is fuelling the recruitment
of child soldiers by Tamil Tiger rebels and damaging efforts to help children
affected by war, the UN agency for children said.
UNICEF (news - web sites) said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
had recruited more children during the first half of the year than they had
freed.
The suspension of peace talks between the government and the Tigers since
April last year was a major impediment to helping thousands of war-affected
children, the agency said in a statement Thursday reviewing its work in the
first six months of 2004.
"UNICEF is very concerned about the impact the stalled peace negotiations
is having on children in this country," said the agency's representative in
Sri Lanka, Ted Chaiban.
UNICEF said that despite promises not to enlist underage combatants, the
LTTE recruited 488 children into its ranks in the first six months of this
year and freed some 449 child soldiers during the same period.
"While some children volunteered, others were forcibly recruited, sometimes
violently, particularly in the east," UNICEF said, adding that more than
1,300 children still remained in Tiger ranks.
It said increased insecurity and the continued recruitment of child soldiers
was making it more difficult for families to access projects set up under
the UNICEF-led "Action Plan" for children.
"If families do not feel safe sending their children to school or vocational
training courses, then it will become harder for humanitarian projects to
succeed."
The statement repeated UNICEF's call to the LTTE to immediately cease all
recruitment of those below the age of 18 years and release all children
within its ranks.
[Full Story]
Child soldiers 'still recruited'
BBC: September 9, 2004
The United Nations children's agency, Unicef, has blamed stalled peace talks
in Sri Lanka for fuelling the recruitment of child soldiers.
The agency says Tamil Tiger rebels have recruited almost 500 children in the
first half of this year.
Delays in peace negotiations have been hindering efforts to help children
affected by the decades-long war, says the agency.
More than 1,300 children remain in Tamil Tiger ranks.
Recruitment 'rife'
Unicef's report on children affected by the war makes harrowing reading.
It says the impasse between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels is a major
impediment to assisting the thousands of children affected by the war.
A ceasefire was signed in 2002, ending more than two decades of ethnic
conflicts. But peace talks have been going nowhere, and the recent split
in the Tamil Tigers has seen a return to fighting in the north and east of
the country.
Unicef found that child recruitment is still rife in Tamil Tiger-controlled
territory, where almost 500 children were taken to training camps in the
first half of this year.
[Full Story]
Tamil Tigers still recruit child soldiers, says UN
Hindustan Times: September 9, 2004
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels still recruit child soldiers, despite repeated
pledges to stop the practice, the UN children's agency said on Thursday.
In the first six months of this year, the guerrillas enlisted 488 children,
UNICEF said in a report on how Sri Lanka's two-decade civil war has affected
children. The agency claimed the rebels were holding more than 1,300 child
combatants.
"While some children volunteered, others were forcibly recruited, sometimes
violently," the report said, adding that many families feared sending their
children to school because of the rebels' recruitment efforts.
Ted Chaiban, UNICEF's representative in Sri Lanka, said the rebels have
released 449 children in the first half of this year. But he warned steps
taken to release and rehabilitate child fighters were at risk "if progress
in the peace process remains elusive."
[Full Story]
Three female LTTE cadres with teenaged girl turn back
Sri Lanka Army: Situation Report: September 9, 2004
WANNI
Three LTTE female cadres who wanted to enter the un-cleared area accompanying
a teenaged girl had reached the OMANTHAI entry/exit point on 07 September
2004 around 3.15 p.m.
The troops, during their routine check, have found that the LTTE female cadres
named T NANDANI, V DARSHIKA and M VINODINEE were trying to take fourteen year
old SIRAMBALAM JEYANTHI of AMBALAMTHURAL, KALUNDARAMIDI, KOKKADICHOLAI to
un-cleared area for reasons best known only to the LTTE.
Later, the troops had brought the matter to the notice of the Sri Lanka
Monitoring Mission (SLMM).
At the same time, another LTTE cadre from the cleared area appeared in the
scene and had a discussion with the representatives of the SLMM and the
UNICEF who had also arrived at the location.
After the discussion however the three female LTTE cadres and the teenaged
girl had been taken back to the cleared area by the said LTTE man.
[Full Story]
Tamil Tigers still recruit child soldiers, says U.N.
Associated Press/The Academic: September 9, 2004
Associated Press, Thu September 9, 2004 04:18 EDT . - - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka
(AP)
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels still recruit child soldiers, despite repeated
pledges to stop the practice, the U.N. children's agency said Thursday. Ted
Chaiban, UNICEF's representative in Sri Lanka - , said the rebels have
released 449 children in the first half of this year.
But he warned steps taken to release and rehabilitate child fighters were at
risk ``if progress in the peace process remains elusive.''
Peace talks between the government and rebels have been suspended since April
2003 because of a dispute over how much autonomy should be granted to the rebels
in the Tamil-dominated northeast.
Human rights groups have accused the Tigers of using about 4,000 child soldiers
in their fight for a separate state for the island's minority Tamils.
The rebels agreed with UNICEF last July to release all child combatants to a
rehabilitation center where the children are given counseling, opportunities to
resume studies and recreation. The guerrillas also made a similar pact with the
government.
[Full Story]
EU closely watching Ceasefire monitors and Norwegians
The Academic: August 31, 2004
The European Union said it is closely observing the activities of the
Ceasefire monitors as well as the Norwegian government as facilitators.
The resident representative of EU Wouter Wilton said “We are watching
the activities of the SLMM and the roll of Norwegians as facilitators”.
He also said that Ceasefire monitoring mission has to work with a
real understanding of the responsibility vested in them. He also said
that the EU is very much concerned over the recent spate of killings
and asked the LTTE to stop child abduction and recruitment of under
child to their organization.
[Full Story]
Aiding Sri Lanka’s Reconstruction
The Navhind Times: August 28, 2004
IN the face of continuing unrest in the South Asian nation of Sri
Lanka, the US officials are calling on the Sri Lankan government and
opposition Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to turn away from
violence and return to peace negotiations as laid out in a cease-fire
agreement reached in 2002.In a press statement, a State Department
official said, We urge the parties to take steps to work to rebuild
trust and schedule the promised talks as soon as possible. The
statement went on to say, the cease-fire and a return to negotiations
represent the best hope for Sri Lanka’s future as a peaceful,
prosperous, and unified nation.
.........
The LTTE, which has been designated by the State Department as a
foreign terrorist organisation, has used assassinations, suicide
bombings and, more recently, child soldiers in its campaign. In its
statement, the State Department denounced all of these violent
strategies and called on the rebels to enter the political mainstream.
[Full Story]
'We do not support separation' - Japanese envoy:
Int'l community for peaceful, united Lanka
Daily News: August 28, 2004
Japan and the international community are fully committed to a peaceful
solution within a united Sri Lanka, reiterated Japanese Ambassador Akio Suda
yesterday stressing the necessity for the early resumption of peace talks.
"We are not supporting separation," the ambassador told a media interview
organised to inform the media about the outcome of his recent visit to
Kilinochchi and Batticaloa.
.......
Referring to concerns raised by Ambassador Suda on the recruitment of child
soldiers, Selvam had said that such incidents are taking place in Government
controlled areas and that children come to the LTTE as they have no place
to go.
[Full Story]
US urges LTTE to halt political killings
Colombo Page: August 23, 2004
Colombo: The United States has urged the LTTE to cease all political killings
, suicide bombings and recruitment of child soldiers and resume peace talks
with the Sri Lankan government. The call was made by the US State Department
amid a spate of political killings blamed on the LTTE.
It came after Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage reviewed
the situation in Sri Lanka with US Ambassador in Colombo Jeffrey Lunstead.
A spokesperson for the US State Department said the LTTE “needs to respond
positively and enter talks with the Sri Lankan government.” He also said the
ceasefire and a return to talks represent the best hope for Sri Lanka's
future as a peaceful, prosperous, and unified nation.
The spokesperson added that Washington stands ready to implement commitments
to aid in Sri Lanka's reconstruction. He said however that assistance would
only be possible through a continuation of the peace process.
[Full Story]
Killing spree dims Sri Lanka peace hopes, foreign concern mounts
Asia Pacific News/AFP: August 22, 2004
COLOMBO : Tiger rebels have stepped up attacks against rivals and
government forces despite a truce, amid growing international concern
for Sri Lanka's faltering peace process, officials and diplomats said.
The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) opened fire on an
officer and a soldier, wounding both, in the island's restive eastern
province on Saturday, in what is seen as a new phase of direct attacks
against security forces.
........
"Assassinations and suicide bombings are unacceptable. The recruitment
of child soldiers must cease," the US embassy here said in a statement
quoting deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli.
[Full Story]
US asks Tamil Tigers to cease killings
Sify News: August 20, 2004
Washington: The United States urged Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka on
Thursday to cease political assassinations, suicide bombings and
recruitment of child soldiers and resume peace talks with the
government.
The call was made by the US State Department amid a spate of political
assassinations blamed on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
and European Union criticism of the guerrillas for killing opponents
and failing to honour promises not to recruit child soldiers.
The Tigers have also refused to accept any counter-proposals from the
government to revive peace negotiations stalled since April last year
as fears mount the island could slide back into war.
[Full Story]
Tamil Tigers are unlikely to change their stripes (NEWS ANALYSIS)
123Bharath.com: August 17, 2004
India News > New Delhi, Aug 17 : For the first time since Sri Lanka's peace
process got under way in February 2002, Tamil Tiger guerrillas have come
under flak from the West amid growing signs of a revival of the armed
conflict.
But if the past is any indication, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) is unlikely to heed to diplomatic niceties and end its murderous
frenzy aimed at silencing its rivals within the Tamil community.
It may be a coincidence, but many of those killed by the LTTE in recent
months have been those who had desired - privately and otherwise - a key
role for India in Sri Lanka's peace process.
.......
The Colombo-based envoys of the Netherlands, Britain and European
Commission publicised after their meeting that they had told LTTE that its
killing of its political opponents and unending conscription of child
soldiers could never be condoned.
The diplomats urged the LTTE to respect human rights and democratic
values if it were to be treated with respect and urged the group to return
to the negotiating table from which it walked away in April.
[Full Story]
EU nations slam Tiger rebels as fresh killings dim Sri Lanka peace hopes
EU Business: August 16, 2004
European Union nations criticised Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels Monday
for killing rivals and recruiting child soldiers, appealing to the
guerrillas not to undermine the Island's Norwegian-led peace bid.
Top envoys from the Netherlands and Britain, together with the EU
delegation chief here, Wouter Wilton, urged the Tigers to settle their
internal differences peacefully without jeopardising the peace efforts.
The envoys held talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelampolitical
wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan as another political rival was gunned down
by suspected Tiger rebels in the capital Colombo Monday, the latest in a
series of shootings.
"There is no excuse for such violence, which can never resolve the
internal differences in Sri Lanka," the envoys said in a joint statement
after the meeting.
"The EU is concerned and alarmed about the recent increase in political
killings and the inability of the LTTE to solve internal differences in a
peaceful manner," the statement added.
Norway has described the escalation of violence following the split in the
Tamil Tiger movement as the most dangerous since the ceasefire came into
effect in February 2002.
[Full Story]
Too many Hanuman tails
hardnewsmedia: August 2004
One of the two main epics of India (the Ramayana) is about India's
interaction with Sri Lanka. Since then, so deep and durable has been the
India-Sri Lanka connection that what happens in that neighbouring country
is of great and immediate interest in India.
However, during the past two decades, it is the linguistic divide between
the Sinhala and the Tamil peoples that has impinged most on the Indian
consciousness. The two groups involved in this divide — the Tamils from
Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the Sinhalas, whose ancestors hail from Orissa,
Bengal and Bihar. In fact, the name Sinhala itself comes from the first
Indian king to reach Sri Lanka — Raja Vijay Sinha from the Bihar-Bengal
border.
...............
But now there is a fundamental change in the situation in the island,
which requires India's renewed strategic interest in its affairs. The
first reason that requires the change is that Sri Lanka is on the brink
of civil war again. The LTTE is losing at both ends — first because peace
means its fighting force is getting flabby thereby causing desertions, and
the readiness of the Tamil diaspora to fund the LTTE has lost its urgency.
At the other end, there is no peace dividend for the LTTE. Its main goal
in the peace talks was to get international legitimacy and a legal
authority to administer an area of Sri Lanka (called the Northeast). It
has got neither in even the smallest measure. The LTTE has been banned as
a terrorist organisation in more countries since the peace talks began
than before. It has been criticised by the UNICEF as a recruiter of child
soldiers and internationally condemned for it. Finally the European Union
has denounced the LTTE for rigging the Parliamentary elections held
recently in the island.
[Full Story]
LTTE hands over child recruits
Sunday Leader: August 8, 2004
The LTTE last week handed over a batch of under-aged recruits in Batticaloa
to UNICEF amidst criticism that it was still continuing to recruit
children.
Since the Wanni command was able to wrest control of the east from
renegade Karuna in April, the SLMM, UNICEF and UNHCR have accused the
Tigers of child recruitment and forcible recruitment of youth to replenish
the ranks depleted by cadres who fled or were sent home by Karuna.
On August 5, the LTTE handed over 24 children to UNICEF at Tennaham in
Kokkadicholai in Batticaloa. Sources with detailed knowledge of the
recruitments said the children appear to be among the latest abuductees
during festivals at temples in Batticaloa. Two weeks back the LTTE handed
over 34 children to UNICEF in Kilinochchi. In April the Tigers released
269 children. According to UNICEF, 1,300 children were sent home by Karuna
when he fled.
In June 2003, the LTTE and the government agreed on a plan to rehabilitate
child soldiers with the help of UNICEF. Since the commencement of the
initiative, UNICEF said that 998 children had been released until April
2004. However, UNICEF has continued to accuse the LTTE of continuing to
recruit children.
[Full Story]
LTTE conscripted Twelve-year old son, says mother
Asian Tribune: August 8, 2004
Colombo, 04 August: A twelve-year old kid from Valaichchenai area in the
Batticaloa district has been conscripted into the LTTE by two LTTE men
while he was near Valaichchenai the Hindu School on 03 August 2004, states
a Police complaint made by the mother.
[Full Story]
LTTE frees 34 child soldiers to be with families
HiPakistan: August 01, 2004
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels freed 34 child soldiers, including
21 girls, to be reunited with their families, the United Nations agency
for children said Friday.
The freed combatants were between 14 and 17 years old, UNICEF said, while
noting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had continued to
recruit child soldiers despite promising to abandon the practice. "UNICEF
welcomes the release of these children," UNICEF spokesman Geoffrey Keele
said.
"All of these children will go home soon and we are very glad to assist
them in reuniting with their families." However, he said the LTTE had
continued to recruit children across the embattled northern and eastern
regions of the country despite repeated pledges not to enlist underage
soldiers. "Over the past three months, recruitment of children by the
LTTE has continued despite commitments the organisation made to cease all
underage conscription," he said.
"This is simply unacceptable and all recruitment must cease now. UNICEF
looks forward to a renewed commitment by the LTTE to cease all child
recruitment and to release those children in their ranks." he said.
"Every child freed is a step in the right direction." A large number of
Tiger child soldiers were demobilised when a renegade regional commander
of the LTTE disbanded some 5,000 to 6,000 fighters under his command before
going underground in April.
Since last November the Tigers have been freeing small batches of underage
fighters to UNICEF-initiated "transit homes" to be reunited with their
families. However, UNICEF has also accused the LTTE of recruiting more
than they freed last year.
[Full Story]
Sri Lankan Tamil rebels release 34 child soldiers
Xinhua net: July 30, 2004
COLOMBO, July 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebels released 34
child soldiers to a transit center sponsored by UNICEF(United Nations
Children's Fund) in rebel-held northern town of Kilinochchi on Thursday
night, a UNICEF spokesman said on Friday.
The 34 children set free by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE)
rebels include 21 girls and 13 boys aged from 14 to 17years old.
"All of these children will go home soon and we are very glad to assist
them in reuniting with their families." Geoffrey Keele, UNICEF
spokesperson in Sri Lanka said.
"Over the past three months, recruitment of children by the LTTE has
continued despite commitments the organization made to cease all underage
conscription. This is simply unacceptable and all recruitment must cease
now," Keele said.
He said that UNICEF looks forward to a renewed commitment by the LTTE to
cease all child recruitment and to release those children currently in
their ranks.
In April this year, an estimated 1,000 children were set free following
a split of renegade rebel eastern commander known as Karuna from the
mainstream rebel group.
The government and the LTTE signed a ceasefire agreement in February 2002
but the rebels have been accused of continuing theirrecruitment of child
soldiers in violation of the truce agreement.
[Full Story]
Tamil Tigers' Split Jeopardises Peace Process
Inter Press Service News Agency: July 29, 2004
The recent split within the Tamil Tigers and the ensuing
violence in the capital Colombo and in the eastern town of Batticaloa
are seriously undermining the two- year ceasefire between the Sri
Lankan government and the militants.
BATTICALOA, Jul 29 (IPS) - The recent split within the Tamil
Tigers and the ensuing violence in the capital Colombo and in the
eastern town of Batticaloa are seriously undermining the two- year
ceasefire between the Sri Lankan government and the militants.
..........
Recently Amnesty International said that the Tigers were not only
recruiting children but also resorting to violence against families
that resist.
Citing figures from the United Nations Children's Fund or UNICEF,
Amnesty said that since April 190 children have been recruited.
The total figure according to UNICEF is 330 since January.
''If armed conflict were to resume, these children would likely be
among the first to die,'' Amnesty said.
UNICEF raised the issue of child recruitment with the Tigers two
weeks ago, according to Geoffrey Keele -- the U.N. agency's
communications director for Sri Lanka -- and was informed that the
Tigers did not condone it and would look into the complaints.
There has been no communication since from the Tigers. UNICEF is
currently running a rehabilitation home for child soldiers in Kilinochchi.
Keele told IPS that UNICEF had also requested other donor countries and
agencies to raise the issue with the Tigers. Evidence corroborated by
different sources indicates that children are being
given training in firearms.
''Training the children is completely against international law. The LTTE must
take immediate steps at the highest levels to rectify this,'' said Keele.
The UNHCR office in Batticaloa has been investigating complaints on the forced
recruitment of young adults between the ages of 19 to 25.
Soon after Karuna fled from the Tiger high command, 450 of his former cadres
came to the UNHCR and registered themselves saying that they did not want to
go back to the rebel fold.
Annka Sandlund, the Batticaloa protection officer for the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees said the agency had confirmed that 20 persons out of
the 450 ex-Karuna cadres had been recruited by force.
''So far the Tigers have not admitted that they have the 20,'' she said adding
that cases of beating up of family members had been reported as well.
[Full Story]
Patience running out, warns Akashi
Sunday Leader: July 25, 2004
Japan’s Special Envoy to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Yasushi Akashi says it
is clear the peace process has not made any headway in the last few
months but hopes the parties to the conflict will resume negotiations
at the earliest. ..........
Q: You mentioned the situation with regard to Karuna and the suicide
bombing in Colombo. In the eyes of the international community given
the allegations made by the LTTE that the government is assisting
Karuna to destabilise the east and the counter allegations against
the LTTE that it continues to recruit child soldiers and use suicide
bombers, are both sides responsible for violating the ceasefire and is
it in danger of collapse?
A: We are very apprehensive of the implications of the recent incidents.
I believe the ceasefire agreement is still in tact but I am afraid the
spirit of that agreement has been contested, challenged. But I still
like to believe the ceasefire agreement is still valid and constitute
the foundation on which the negotiations should commence.
[Full Story]
Sri Lanka on brink of war: Tiger leader
Daily Times: July 22, 2004
COLOMBO: A top Tamil Tiger rebel leader has warned that Sri Lanka is at the “edge of
war,” renewing fears of an end to the island’s fragile cease-fire, rebel officials
said on Wednesday.
“Sri Lanka is at the edge of war. Both the government and the (Tamil Tigers) are
preparing for war. The question is who starts first and when,” SP Thamilselvan, the
Tigers’ political chief was quoted as saying, by rebel officials who spoke on
condition of anonymity. ..........
Meanwhile Tamil Tiger rebels have violated a two-year-old cease-fire nearly 2,500
times, largely through recruiting child soldiers, while Sri Lanka’s military has
committed 112 violations, truce monitors said on Wednesday, amid fears the country
could slip back into civil war. Sri Lanka’s government and the Liberation Tigers of
Tamileelam signed a Norwegian-brokered cease-fire on Feb. 22, 2002, to halt two
decades of fighting that killed nearly 65,000 people. The agreement has held, even
though peace talks have been stalled since April 2003.
[Full Story]
Sri Lankan rebels commit thousands of cease-fire violations
Associated Press/Star OnLine: July 21, 2004
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Tamil Tiger rebels have violated a two-year-old cease-fire
nearly 2,500 times, largely through recruiting child soldiers, while Sri Lanka's
military has committed 112 violations, truce monitors said Wednesday, amid fears the
country could slip back into civil war.
Sri Lanka's government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam signed a
Norwegian-brokered cease-fire on Feb. 22, 2002, to halt two decades of fighting that
killed nearly 65,000 people.
The agreement has held, even though peace talks have been stalled since April 2003.
[Full Story]
In the eye of the storm
Sunday Leader: July 18, 2004
The small child stared at the heavens, squint-eyed. There was no fear in those
eyes, no anger, just a sense of childish bewilderment mixed with the innocence of
ignorance. He stared into my camera, at Kokkadicholai, in Batticaloa, the centre
of the LTTE in Batticaloa.
[Full Story]
LTTE 'enlisting child soldiers'
GULF Daily News: July 9, 2004
launched a new recruitment drive for child soldiers and are beating up parents
if they prevent their children from joining the insurgency, according to Amnesty
International yesterday.
The guerillas are believed to have used 4,000 children in their 19-year fight
for a separate homeland. But a year ago, the guerillas vowed to release all
child combatants and allow them to be rehabilitated.
"With the news of a suicide bombing in Colombo, the fact that the Tamil Tigers
have started a new wave of child recruitment is alarming," London-based Amnesty
said in a statement.
"The Tamil Tigers are increasingly turning to threats and violence in a
recruitment drive for child soldiers. Families who resist have been beaten or
had their houses set on fire," Amnesty said.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Tigers denied Wednesday's suicide bombing, but analysts said
the attack was a warning by the rebels not to let the peace process stall further.
Police said security was stepped up in Colombo despite the Tiger denials, with
rapid deployment troops intensifying searches after the attack that killed four
policemen and a suicide bomber.
Diplomats and analysts said the attack was a warning to the authorities not to
support a renegade Tiger leader and not to take for granted a Norwegian-brokered
truce in place since February 2002.
The head of the political science department at Colombo University, Jayadeva
Uyangoda, said the bombing was a sign to President Chandrika Kumaratunga to
revive the moribund peace process. In a separate incident, guerillas said they
shot dead two men captured from a breakaway rebel group in Eastern Lanka yesterday.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a statement issued in the eastern
district of Batticaloa said two men aged 23 and 24 were "executed" because they
were "traitors." The LTTE charged that the two men had been "arrested" by them
recently with weapons and that they belonged to a faction loyal to renegade
regional commander V Muralitharan, better known as Karuna.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Tamil politician Douglas Devananda, who was the target
of the rebel suicide attack, survived the 10th assassination bid, according to
Lanka media reports.
Most have been blamed on the Tigers, who are engaged in a peace process with the
government to end decades of civil war but see Devananda's party as a threat to
their claim to be the sole voice of the island's minority Tamil community.
"There was the time he went to the prison to see fasting inmates and he was attacked.
He was really almost dead then," said his private secretary S Thavarajah of the
incident in which he was surrounded and repeatedly stabbed by suspected Tiger
inmates.
[Full Story]
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE
Sri Lanka: Tamil Tigers beating up families to recruit child soldiers
Amnesty International: July 7, 2004
The Tamil Tigers are increasingly turning to threats and violence in a
recruitment drive for child soldiers. Families who resist have been beaten
with wooden sticks, or had their houses set on fire.
"With today's news of a suicide bombing in Colombo, the fact that the
Tamil Tigers have started a new wave of child recruitment is alarming,"
said Amnesty International. "If the armed conflict were to resume, these
children would likely be among the first to die."
Since the beginning of April 2004, 190 children have been recruited to
fight, according to information provided by UNICEF. This brings the
number of verified cases this year to 330.
Many of these children have been forcibly abducted from public places
or their homes. Some of the new recruits are as young as fourteen.
The Tamil Tigers are also increasingly re-recruiting former child
soldiers by force. In one case in May, four children who had left the
Tamil Tigers were taken away from their homes in the middle of the night.
Their families say they were violently assaulted when they tried to
intervene.
In another case, Tamil Tigers set fire to a house in Sinnathatumunai,
eastern Sri Lanka, and broke down the doors of nine others.
In the eastern Vaharai area, relatives were beaten with wooden sticks
when they tried to stop their children being taken away. In one instance
a woman was knocked unconscious, and another was cut on the face. Both
needed medical treatment.
"The Tamil Tigers leadership must issue orders to its cadres to stop these
violent and intimidating tactics immediately," said Amnesty International.
"It should stick to its earlier commitments to stop the recruitment and
use of child soldiers. Children in its ranks should be returned to their
homes and not face the threat of re-recruitment."
[Full Story]
LTTE denies UNICEF report on child soldiers
Colombo Page: July 04, 2004
July 04, Colombo: The LTTE has reportedly told the Norwegian facilitators
that they do not agree with UNICEF's position that the LTTE is continuing
child recruitment.
The LTTE's political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan told visiting Norwegian
special envoy Erik Solheim this when they met in Kilinochchi last week.
The LTTE officially denies that it is continuing child recruitment, the
LTTE leadership said.
Last week UNICEF held talks with LTTE representatives and UNICEF officials
about the issue. UNICEF officials also met Mr. Solheim and the head of the
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission to discuss the issue in detail.
[Full Story]
Sri
Lanka: Tamil Tigers Again Abduct Child Soldiers
Human Rights Watch: June 29, 2004
(London,
June 29, 2004) — The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam are waging a
campaign in eastern Sri Lanka to abduct former child soldiers for
their forces, Human Rights Watch said today. Over last three weeks,
the armed opposition group has intensified efforts to re-recruit
child combatants released by Colonel Karuna, a renegade rebel
commander defeated by its forces in April. [Full
Story]
LTTE
seems unwilling to end child recruitment: Unicef
New Kerala News: June 29, 2004
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas do not seem very keen
to end recruitment of children despite making international
commitments to this effect, says a UN body.
The Unicef, which
has been campaigning relentlessly for an end to child recruitment in
the rebel ranks, also feels that enlistment of underage kids has
gone up in the island since April this year. This was the month when
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) crushed a revolt in its
ranks led by its former regional commander Karuna and re-took the
sprawling eastern district of Batticaloa. Before dispersing from the
scene, Karuna had ordered some 6,000 fighters, including about 3,500
children, to go back to their homes. Tamil and diplomatic sources
say the LTTE is actively re-recruiting many of them.
Asked why
the international community had failed to end children recruitment
into Tiger ranks, a Unicef spokesman told IANS from Colombo that the
only outfit that could end this was the LTTE itself. "They have the
final say in this matter, and so far they have proven unwilling to
end this practice once and for all," the spokesman said in a
statement. "The international community can bring pressure to bear
on the LTTE and can advocate strongly for an end to child
recruitment. But only the LTTE can make the final decision to halt
this practice once and for all."
The spokesman said the LTTE
never stopped admitting children into its ranks despite signing a
Norwegian-brokered peace pact with Colombo in February 2002. [Full
Story]
TIGERS step up recruiting child soldiers: UNICEF
Channel News Asia - Singapore:
June 26, 2004
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels
have stepped up recruiting hundreds of child soldiers despite
pledges to free all underage combatants among their ranks, UNICEF
says. The United Nations children's agency said the rebel Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are going back on promises to not
enlist anyone below the age of 18 years and that a major recruitment
drive is underway. "After promising signs in April that the LTTE was
taking seriously its pledge to release the children in its ranks,
recruitment has been accelerated in recent weeks, including of
children under the age of 18," UNICEF said. Since the beginning of
April, UNICEF said in a statement, it had received 159 reports of
children being recruited by the LTTE, mostly in the north of the
country. A large number of Tiger child soldiers were demobilised
when a renegade regional commander of the LTTE disbanded some 5,000
to 6,000 fighters under his command before going underground in
April. "The April returns were a big step forward by the LTTE,"
UNICEF country representative here, Ted Chaiban said. "However, this
has been completely undermined by continued recruitment of new
children over the past couple of months.
"This cannot continue
any longer. These children must be released immediately and steps
taken at the highest levels of the LTTE to ensure children are no
longer taken by the organisation." The latest Tiger recruitment
effort came as Norway stepped up efforts to try to revive stalled
talks between the Tigers and the Colombo government to end a drawn
out struggle for a separate Tamil homeland that has left 60,000
dead. Norway's special peace envoy Erik Solheim is due here Monday
to try to jumpstart the peace talks which have remained suspended
since April last year. The Tigers have said youngsters volunteer to
carry out LTTE political and administrative work as they are unable
to make a living elsewhere in the impoverished region. [Full
Story]
LTTE
child conscription on the rise - UNICEF
Daily New: June 28, 2004
The Libration
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has stepped up the conscription of
children to its ranks, according to UNICEF. The UN agency confirmed
that the LTTE has accelerated the recruitment of under age
combatants in April and May, especially in the North. Defence
sources said the LTTE seemed to be going back on its pledge to
release the children in its ranks and stop new recruitment, with the
latest round of conscription. In April, the LTTE officially released
269 children and expressed willingness to provide formal release
letters for over 1,300 other children. [Full Story]
Sri
Lanka Tigers step up child recruitment: UN
NewIndPress/Reuters: June 27, 2004
COLOMBO:
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have stepped up recruitment of child
soldiers months after the release of hundreds of young recruits,
UNICEF said on Saturday. UNICEF said they had about 160 reports of
fresh recruits since the start of April, nearly one-third of which
were in the eastern district of Batticaloa, the stronghold of a
renegade rebel commander known by his nom de guerre, Karuna. [Full
Story]
Tamils warned over child soldiers
BBC: June 26, 2004
The United Nations
children's agency in Sri Lanka says Tamil Tiger rebels have stepped
up recruitment of child soldiers in recent weeks. The rebels have
repeatedly made commitments to end the practice. Unicef says it has
received reports of 159 children being recruited since the beginning
of April. But it is common for the number of reported incidents to
be a fraction of the real number because parents are too afraid to
complain against the rebels. [Full
Story]
US
will not remove Tamil Tigers from terror list: State Department
Khaleej Times/AFP: June 23, 2004
WASHINGTON - The United States said on Tuesday it would
not remove the terrorist tag from the Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers rebel
group, even though it had observed a ceasefire for more than two
years and conducted informal peace talks with the government. “We
will not remove our designation of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam) as a terrorist organization until it has firmly and
decidedly given up terrorism and such policies as the recruitment of
children as soldiers,” Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca
said. [Full
Story]
LTTE
demand their daughters, complain civilians
Situation Report –SL Army: June 22, 2004
Some civilians who reached the troops on duty at the
road block in the general area of MANKERNI, about 38 k.m. north west
of BATTICALOA town, on 21 June 2004 reported that the LTTE men
harassed and forced them to hand over their daughters to the LTTE.
Information revealed that their daughters had been with the LTTE for
some time and later they had run away from the organization. On the
request of victims, troops brought the mater to the notice of
International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in BATTICALOA and
instructed them to make a formal complaint at the Police. Names
& particulars of the women concerned are withheld for obvious
security reasons and questions of human rights. [Full Story]
Sri
Lankan Rebels Resume Recruiting Child Soldiers, Unicef Says
Bloomberg: June 15, 2004
Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels
resumed recruitment of child soldiers in April, the same month it
released more than 1,000 under-age fighters, according to the United
Nations children's agency.
Unicef has persuaded the Tigers to
release 40 of the 124 child soldiers recruited since early April,
agency spokesman Geoff Keele said. Most of the children inducted
were between 14 and 16 years of age, and 76 of the 124 were boys, he
said. ``We have seen a spike in the number of children being
recruited, and this trend is worrying,'' Keele said in a phone
interview from Colombo, the island's capital. Rebel spokesman Daya
Master said May 7 the Tigers are recruiting only soldiers who are at
least 18 years old.
The April release of more than 1,000 child
soldiers was the largest since the Tigers started their armed
struggle in 1983. Sri Lanka's human rights record is watched by aid
donors such as Japan, the European Union, Norway and the U.S., which
have pledged as much as $4.5 billion on condition peace talks
resume. The Tigers have been accused of recruiting children as young
as 10. Its latest recruitment drive comes as the rebels accuse
President Chandrika Kumaratunga of reneging on an accord to accept
power-sharing as the basis for restarting talks.
The Tigers
previously said Kumaratunga had agreed to start talks on the topic
of setting up a rebel-led interim government in the north and east.
Kumaratunga has since said she wants talks on an interim
administration to run in parallel with negotiations on a final
settlement, a proposal the rebels reject. [Full
Story]
Tamil
Tigers step-up child recruitment; UN agency concerned
Boston Herald: June 14, 2004
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Tamil Tiger rebels have increased a
recruitment of child soldiers as Sri Lanka's peace process falters,
the U.N. children's agency said Monday.
In the past two months,
a total of 124 children had been recruited, including 74 boys and 50
girls, said Geoffrey Keele, spokesman of the U.N. children's agency.
``There has been a lot more recruitment in April and May than there
was in March,'' Keele said, ``It's a major concern.'' Tamil rebels
agreed with UNICEF a year ago to release all child combatants to a
rehabilitation center where the children are given counseling,
opportunities to resume studies and recreation. But at least 1,263
children still remain in rebel ranks, Keele said. [Full
Story]
Tamil
Tiger Rebels Recruit Kid Soldiers
The
Guardian: June 14, 2004
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) -
Tamil Tiger rebels have increased a recruitment of child soldiers as
Sri Lanka's peace process falters, the U.N. children's agency said
Monday. In the past two months, a total of 124 children had been
recruited, including 74 boys and 50 girls, said Geoffrey Keele,
spokesman of the U.N. children's agency. ``There has been a lot more
recruitment in April and May than there was in March,'' Keele said,
``It's a major concern.'' Tamil rebels agreed with UNICEF a year ago
to release all child combatants to a rehabilitation center where the
children are given counseling, opportunities to resume studies and
recreation. But at least 1,263 children still remain in rebel ranks,
Keele said. The surge is the highest since the guerillas freed over
1,000 child fighters after bloody factional fighting within Tamil
Tiger ranks ended on April 12. The rebels were not immediately
reachable for comment. Human rights groups have estimated the
Liberation tigers of Tamileelam may have used as many as 4,000 child
soldiers in their 19-year civil war against the Sri Lankan
government. Sri Lanka is struggling to revive peace talks that have
been stalled for more than a year. The Tigers warned Sunday that Sri
Lanka's ``bloodbath'' could resume if the government rejects their
demands for self-rule and accused President Chandrika Kumaratunga of
deliberately delaying the peace process in order to buy time to
launch an offensive against the rebels. About 65,000 people were
killed in Sri Lanka's civil war that began in 1983 and raged until a
Norwegian-brokered cease-fire was signed in Feb. 2002. Despite
strains, the truce has held. [Full
Story]
Tigers recruit child soldiers again - UN
The Island: May 07, 2004
The LTTE had
recruited children in the past few days, UN officials said on
Thursday, raising fears of a fresh recruitment drive just weeks
after their biggest yet child demobilisation. The United
Nations Children’s Fund did not know the ages of the recruits, but
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have in past used
children as young as 10 in their decades-long fight for a separate
state for the minority Tamil community. "We have verified four
children have been recruited and we’ve taken in up with the LTTE,
who say they are investigating," said UNICEF spokesman Geoffrey
Keele. He said all four were from the northern Vavuniya region,
about 220 km (140 miles) from the capital Colombo. The use of
child soldiers is considered a benchmark of the Tigers’ sincerity in
peace efforts with the government, but a two-year ceasefire has been
marred by persistent reports of underage recruitment. "We
don’t have specific information, but we have noticed there is a
child recruitment campaign on and it seems to be mostly in
Vavuniya," said Agnes Bragadottir of the Sri Lanka Monitoring
Mission, which oversees a Norwegian-brokered truce in the
islanddecades-old civil war. The LTTE formally released 300
child soldiers to UNICEF and another 750 returned to their villages
on their own late last month, after the Tigers defeated a rival
rebel faction. [Full Story]
Tigers step up child soldier recruitment amid peace moves by
Norway
Daily Mirror: May 07, 2004
The LTTE has stepped up recruiting hundreds of child
soldiers amid renewed moves by peace broker Norway to revive stalled
talks, officials and residents said yesterday. Tamil Tigers
have begun enlisting young fighters in the Wanni district in the
past two weeks after demobilising nearly 1,000 child soldiers who
were loyal to a renegade commander, an official said. "We can
confirm that a recruitment of children on behalf of the LTTE is
underway in the Wanni," said SLMM spokesman Agnes Bragadottir.
However, she said the mission was unaware of the exact numbers that
had been recruited into the ranks of the LTTE, but they were in
touch with the United Nations agency for children UNICEF on the
matter. The Tiger recruitment effort came as Norway stepped up
efforts to try and revive stalled talks between the Tigers and the
UPFA government. [Full Story]
LTTE
recruit child soldiers again, says UN Daily News: May 07, 2004
The Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have recruited children in the past few
days, UN officials said on Thursday, raising fears of a fresh
recruitment drive just weeks after their biggest yet child
demobilisation. The United Nations Children's Fund did not
know the ages of the recruits, but the LTTE have in past used
children as young as 10 in their decades-long fight for a separate
state for the minority Tamil community. "We have verified four
children have been recruited and we've taken in up with the LTTE,
who say they are investigating," said UNICEF spokesman Geoffrey
Keele. He said all four were from the northern Vavuniya region,
about 220 km from the capital Colombo. The use of child soldiers is
considered a benchmark of the Tigers' sincerity in peace efforts
with the government, but a two-year ceasefire has been marred by
persistent reports of underage recruitment. "We don't have specific
information, but we have noticed there is a child recruitment
campaign on and it seems to be mostly in Vavuniya," said Agnes
Bragadottir of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, which oversees a
Norwegian-brokered truce in the island's decades-old civil war. [Full Story]
Tamil
Tigers recruit child soldiers amid Sri Lanka peace moves
Yahoo/AFP: May 06, 2004
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have been recruiting
hundreds of child soldiers amid renewed moves by peace broker Norway
to revive stalled talks, officials and residents said. The
Tigers have begun enlisting young fighters in the northern Wanni
district in the past two weeks after demobilising nearly 1,000 child
soldiers who were loyal to a renegade commander, a local official
said on Thursday. Two men from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) were gunned down in the island's east Thursday in what
appeared to be a retaliatory strike for the overnight slaying of a
rebel loyal to renegades, police said. The Scandinavians who
are monitoring a truce between government forces and the LTTE said
they were aware of the new Tiger recruitment drive. "We can
confirm that a recruitment of children on behalf of the LTTE is
underway in the Wanni," said Agnes Bragadottir, a spokeswoman for
the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission. [Full
Story]
Sri
Lanka Tigers step up child soldier recruitment
Yahoo/AFP: May 06, 2004
Sri Lanka's Tamil
Tiger rebels have stepped up recruiting hundreds of child soldiers
amid renewed moves by peace broker Norway to revive stalled talks,
officials and residents said. Tamil Tigers have begun
enlisting young fighters in the northern Wanni district in the past
two weeks after demobilising nearly 1,000 child soldiers who were
loyal to a renegade commander, a local official said. The
Scandinavians who are monitoring a truce between government forces
and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they were aware
of the new recruitment drive of the Tigers. "We can confirm
that a recruitment of children on behalf of the LTTE is underway in
the Wanni," said Agnes Bragadottir, a spokesman for the
Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission. [Full
Story]
Sri
Lanka rebels again recruit child soldiers - UN
Alert Net/Reuters
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels
have recruited children in the past few days, UN officials said on
Thursday, raising fears of a fresh recruitment drive just weeks
after their biggest yet child demobilisation. The United
Nations Children's Fund did not know the ages of the recruits, but
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have in past used
children as young as 10 in their decades-long fight for a separate
state for the minority Tamil community. "We have verified four
children have been recruited and we've taken in up with the LTTE,
who say they are investigating," said UNICEF spokesman Geoffrey
Keele. He said all four were from the northern Vavuniya
region, about 220 km (140 miles) from the capital Colombo. The
use of child soldiers is considered a benchmark of the Tigers'
sincerity in peace efforts with the government, but a two-year
ceasefire has been marred by persistent reports of underage
recruitment. [Full
Story]
Tamil
Tiger child soldiers at risk of re-enlisted: Human Rights
group
Asian Tribune: April 28, 2004
An international human rights group has accused Sri
Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels of attempting to re-enlist child
soldiers, just weeks after they were freed following a deadly
factional battle in the guerrilla group. The rebels, who say
they are fighting to safeguard the rights of the minority Tamils in
Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lanka, have released 299 underage combatants
since fighting between the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam and a
rebel commander ended April 12. U.S-based Human Rights Watch
said that another 800 child soldiers had returned to their families,
but warned that they had seen reports suggesting a new recruitment
drive had already begun. "The Liberation Tigers of
Tamileelam.....must halt all efforts to recruit recently released
child soldiers," said Brad Adams, executive director of Human Rights
Watch's Asia Division, in a statement seen Tuesday. He said
the LTT "reportedly sent around vans with megaphones instructing"
the breakaway leader's former fighters, including the released child
combatants, "to report for re-registration." "The release of
hundreds of LTT child soldiers to their families is good news,"
Adams said. "The issue now is whether the Tigers will permit these
children to stay home or force their return to the front
lines." He said "thousands more child soldiers" are
believed to remain with LTT forces. Human rights groups have
estimated that the Tamil rebels may have used 4,000 child soldiers
in their 19-year separatist war against the Sri Lankan government.
The fighting stopped after the Tigers signed a Norwegian-brokered
truce in February, 2002. [Full
Story]
Former Tamil Tiger Child Soldiers Remain at
Risk
Human Rights Watch: April 26,
2004
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an armed
opposition group in Sri Lanka, must halt all efforts to recruit
recently released child soldiers, Human Rights Watch said today.
International agencies in eastern Sri Lanka should actively monitor
the situation to help ensure the safety of hundreds of threatened
children. LTTE forces on April 9 defeated a breakaway group
under their former eastern commander, known as Karuna. According to
the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at least two child
soldiers, both girls, died in the fighting; unconfirmed reports
indicate many more child combatants were killed during the battle or
after having surrendered. Both the LTTE army and Karuna’s forces of
some 6000 fighters included many child soldiers. An unknown number
of the latter surrendered to the main LTTE force. After the families
of the children demanded their return, according to UNICEF, 209 were
released to their families; a reported 800 others from Karuna’s
disbanded force returned home on their own. Thousands more child
soldiers are believed to remain with LTTE forces in the north of the
country. “The release of hundreds of LTTE child soldiers to
their families is good news,” said Brad Adams, executive director of
Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division. “The issue now is whether the
Tigers will permit these children to stay home or force their return
to the front lines.” In the eastern towns of Batticaloa and
Ampara, the LTTE reportedly sent around vans with megaphones
instructing Karuna’s former fighters, including the released child
combatants, to report for re-registration. Families in the area
feared that the LTTE were going to take away their children. Many
families were reportedly seeking shelter for their children from
international and local human rights and aid agencies, and even
journalists. [Full
Story]
Rights group accuses LTTE of re-enlisting child soldiers
Hi Pakistan
Sri Lanka’s Tamil
Tiger rebels came under attack from an international rights group
over alleged attempts to re-enlist hundreds of child soldiers freed
this year. The London-based International Coalition to Stop the Use
of Child Soldiers said it feared the Tigers were planning to recruit
those released when a renegade rebel commander demobilised his
fighting force after a split. "Despite pledges to end the use
of child soldiers, the Coalition has received numerous reports that
vans have been circulating in the (eastern) Batticaloa-Ampara
districts and announcing over loud speakers that all former cadres
must register for re-recruitment," they said in a statement on
Friday. It also asked the Sri Lankan government to provide
assurances that none of the released children, or those working to
assist them, will be subjected to any form of harassment if the
conflict resumes. "The government’s role is to provide protection
and assistance for the children who have returned to their
families," the statement said. It also asked the rebel LTTE to "end
confusion and state clearly that it will not re-recruit any of the
children released in recent weeks." [Full
Story]
Child
soldiers - the shame of the LTTE
The
Island: April 25, 2004
The past two weeks have
exposed the LTTE to be the largest user of child soldiers in the
world. What is even worse, the LTTE has refused to accept
responsibility for this shameful policy, and is doing nothing to
correct it. The LTTE’s claims over the years that it will
abide by the demands of world organizations such as the United
Nations to cease pressing children into its service, were blown away
when more than a thousand children were returned to their parents
over the last two weeks in the Eastern Province. It is also
now proved beyond doubt, as has repeatedly been said by
international organizations and local and foreign media, that most
of the children who are members of the LTTE were recruited during
the Ceasefire Agreement over the past two years. Some of these
children are as young as 12 years old. The LTTE is attempting
to say that the recruitment of thousands of children took place
without its knowledge, and was conducted by its former renegade
Eastern Commander Colonel Karuna. This excuse is as pathetic as it
is unbelievable. It was never possible for Karuna to recruit such
huge numbers of children without the complete approval of LTTE
Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. [Full Story]
LTTE
child soldiers: No truth in Thamilchelvan's allegations -
UNICEF
Sunday Observer: April 25,
2004
A senior official of the United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF) in response to the LTTE political Leader S.P.
Thamilchelvan's accusations levelled against the UNICEF that the
Agency had failed to rehabilitate child soldiers who had left the
organisation and confirmed that there were still 1,182 children in
LTTE custody. He also said that they agreed with the LTTE that more
to be done to rehabilitate the child soldiers. In an interview with
the 'Sunday Observer', Geoffery Keele, the UNICEF Press Officer said
that the rehabilitation work by the UNICEF and other partner
organisations was still continuing to improve the lives of children
in the North and East, including former child soldiers. "On the
issue of children's psychological care, there are now 25 counsellors
in six districts in the North and East and a referral mechanisms
have been developed to give attention to individuals, who have been
referred to the counsellors by UNICEF, Ministry of Social Welfare,
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization and Save the Children Fund", he
said. He said that under the Catch-up Education Program over
23,500 children in 2003 have gone back to school and over 600
primary health care workers had been trained in maternal and child
health care in all eight districts covered by the Action Plan. " But
our efforts need to be expanded to reach more families and
children", he said. [Full
Story]
Back
to school for freed child-soldiers
Sunday Times: April 25, 2004
Children who
are caught up in the armed conflict, have once again the opportunity
to enjoy school or do a job, as more than 1000 child-soldiers have
been released with the number expected to increase, said Mr.
Geoffrey Keele, UNICEF's Media Relations Officer. Over 300
child-soldiers were formally handed over to UNICEF and eight of
them, who had been in the LTTE for a long time have been transferred
to the Transition Centre in Kilinochchi. while the others have been
sent home. UNICEF tries to get such children back to school and
provide vocational training for those who want to find jobs. But
most importantly, UNICEF has established a system to provide
counseling and psychological support to the children who are in
need. More than physical injuries, the psychological effects cause
much damage to children in armed conflict. They suffer from post
traumatic stress disorder, which will in the long term affect the
life style and development of those children. "The LTTE released a
whole bunch of child-soldiers and may be they will continue to
contribute more releases" said Mr. Keele, adding " this is a very
positive situation and we would like to see this continuing. [Full Story]
UNICEF refutes LTTE claim
The
Island: April 24, 2004
The UNICEF yesterday refuted
the LTTE claim that it (the UNICEF) was calling for release of more
child soldiers while paying scant attention to the rehabilitation
needs of those who had already been released. Political Wing Leader
of the LTTE, S. Thamil Selvam a few days ago faulted the UNICEF in a
statement to the pro-LTTTE web publication, TamilNet, for what he
termed as its failure to take care of the already demobilised
children. Selvam’s statement is viewed in diplomatic circles as an
attempt to avoid releasing more child soldiers by claiming that the
children already released are not being properly looked after.
Communication Officer of the UNICEF Sri Lanka, Geoffrey Keele
contacted for his comments told The Island that his organisation
totally disagreed with Selvam’s statement. The UNICEF, he insisted,
had worked tirelessly and achieved much in the rehabilitation of the
released child combatants of the LTTE. "We don’t agree with the LTTE
on what it has said," Keele said, "We have worked very hard on this,
but accept that there is much more to be done and achieved in
meeting the needs of the child soldiers." [Full Story]
More
than 1,000 LTTE child soldiers return home
Daily Mirror: April 24, 2004
More than
1,000 children who fought for the LTTE have returned home in the
last month, been the biggest release since the start of the war,
UNICEF reported yesterday. The Tigers formally freed 300 child
soldiers to UNICEF and more than 750 returned to their villages on
their own accord, spurred by the demobilisation of a breakaway
faction whose eastern region the rebels retook earlier this
month. "This is the biggest in the history of Sri Lanka's
conflict. Even with just the 300 it is the biggest ever," said
Geoffrey Keele, a spokesman for the United Nations Children's
Fund. But despite the unprecedented demobilisation, UNICEF has
been forced to defend its role after accusations by the LTTE that it
is clamouring too loudly for the release of more children, some of
whom are as young as 10. There has been "a disproportionate
emphasis on the release of the children from the LTTE at the expense
of follow-up and attention to issues supporting their reintegration
into the community," the Tigers' political wing leader S.P.
Thamilselvan said in a letter to UNICEF posted on the Tamilnet Web
site. [Full Story]
LTTE
urged to stop re-recruiting children Island: April 24, 2004
The International
coalition to stop the use of child soldiers today urged the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to end confusion and state
clearly that it will not re-recruit any of the children released in
recent weeks. The organization urged the LTTE to give clear
instructions to Regional and local commanders of the LTTE not to
accept any children back into the ranks. The Coalition also said
that no former soldier, whatever his or her age, should be forced to
rejoin the LTTE. The Coalition said, despite pledges to end the use
of child soldiers, it had received numerous reports that vans have
been circulating in the Batticaloa-Amparai districts and announcing
over loud speakers that all former cadres must register for
re-recruitment. Coalition sources say that many former child
soldiers are living in fear of re-recruitment. They and their
families also fear reprisals if they try to avoid returning to the
LTTE. Over the last two weeks, several hundred child soldiers have
left the LTTE following the disbanding of the Eastern regional
command, partly as a result of increased pressure by parents
demanding the return of their children. The recently demobilized
children were stationed in the east, but hundreds, possibly
thousands more children remain in the north, where the LTTE
leadership is based. [Full Story]
Rights group accuses Sri Lanka rebels of trying to re-enlist
child soldiers
Yahoo/AFP
Sri
Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels came under attack from an international
rights group over alleged attempts to re-enlist hundreds of child
soldiers freed this year. The London-based International
Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers said it feared the
Tigers were planning to recruit those released when a renegade rebel
commander demobilised his fighting force after a split.
"Despite pledges to end the use of child soldiers, the Coalition has
received numerous reports that vans have been circulating in the
(eastern) Batticaloa-Ampara districts and announcing over loud
speakers that all former cadres must register for re-recruitment,"
they said in a statement Friday. It also asked the Sri Lankan
government to provide assurances that none of the released children,
or those working to assist them, will be subjected to any form of
harassment if the conflict resumes. "The government's role is
to provide protection and assistance for the children who have
returned to their families," the statement said. It also asked
the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to "end confusion
and state clearly that it will not re-recruit any of the children
released in recent weeks." There was no immediate comment
available from the LTTE. The coalition statement came a day
after the LTTE accused the United Nations (news
- web
sites) agency for children, UNICEF (news
- web
sites), of not providing adequate facilities to help reintegrate
freed child soldiers back in society [Full
Story]
More
than 1,000 Sri Lanka child soldiers return home
Reuters
More than 1,000 children who fought for
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers have returned home in the last month, in
the biggest release since the start of the island's 20-year civil
war, UNICEF said on Friday. The Tigers formally freed 300
child soldiers to UNICEF and more than 750 returned to their
villages of their own accord, spurred by the demobilisation of a
breakaway faction whose eastern region the rebels retook earlier
this month. "This is the biggest in the history of Sri Lanka's
conflict. Even with just the 300 it is the biggest ever," said
Geoffrey Keele, a spokesman for the United Nations Children's
Fund. But despite the unprecedented demobilisation, UNICEF has
been forced to defend its role after accusations by the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that it is clamouring too loudly for
the release of more children, some of whom are as young as 10.
There has been "a disproportionate emphasis on the release of the
children from the LTTE at the expense of follow-up and attention to
issues supporting their reintegration into the community," the
Tigers' political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan said in a letter to
UNICEF posted on the Tamilnet Web site. The Tigers have
admitted they use underage fighters, but say they have joined
willingly, driven by poverty or by persecution by the Sri Lankan
military. UNICEF has expressed concern that the rebels could
re-recruit child soldiers and called on them to match the
demobilisation in the east with similar moves in the north, saying
they still harbour "hundreds and possibly thousands" of
children. But Thamilselvan said the number of children
referred to was "grossly exaggerated" and has "eroded the confidence
of the LTTE in UNICEF's genuine commitment to addressing the needs
of the children of the north-east". UNICEF said it wants
better lives for all the children. [Full
Story]
Tigers blast UNICEF
The
Island: April 23, 2004
The LTTE accused UNICEF of not
doing enough to rehabilitate former child soldiers, who fought for
the guerrillas during their two-decade civil war with the
government. The rebels’ political head, S.P. Thalimselvan,
told UNICEF’s chief for Sri Lanka, Ted Chaiban, that the UN body
should place more emphasize on rehabilitating the former child
soldiers already released rather than calling for additional ones to
be let go, said a report seen Thursday on the pro-rebel TamilNet Web
site. The LTT, who signed a February 2002 cease-fire with the
government, admit that they’ve used underaged fighters and say they
were releasing them. ``Unfortunately, what has resulted in the
last six months has been a disproportionate emphasis on the release
of the children from LTT, at the expense of follow-up and attention
to issues supporting their reintegration into the community,’’ he
said. Chaiban wasn’t immediately available for comment.
The rebels want the UNICEF to give former child soldiers social
counseling and opportunities to resume studies. Any combatant under
age 18 is considered a child soldier. The rebels released 40 child
soldiers last week, bringing to 299 the number freed since a
factional war among the rebels ended April 12. [Full Story]
Child
Soldier Rights Group Berates Tamil Tigers
Reuters
A British-based rights group campaigning
against the use of child soldiers called on Thursday for Sri Lankan
separatist Tamil Tigers to immediately end recruitment of under-age
fighters. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in a
cease-fire with the Sri Lankan government since 2002, have
repeatedly said they have stopped the practice, but rights groups
are skeptical. "On the one level, they might make a big
announcement but on the very same day they might abduct some more
children from somewhere else," said Victoria Forbes Adam, of the
London-based International Coalition to Stop the Use of Child
Soldiers. "We continue to document abductions, and there are
other children (within the LTTE) who haven't been demobilized," she
told Reuters. Under a program in coordination with UNICEF, the
LTTE have released several hundred child soldiers from its ranks,
including more than 100 last week after the breakaway of a rebel
faction within the group. But the rights group is concerned
the separatists are actually re-recruiting them, while also seeking
new young fighters. "Regional and local commanders should be
given clear instructions not to accept any children back into the
ranks," the rights group said in a statement. The group also
called on the Sri Lankan government to ensure no released children
would be harassed by state forces. UNICEF has said 709
children were recruited by the LTTE last year, while 202 were
released. The separatists have has said their young soldiers
are all volunteers who themselves claimed to be above 18, and that
they have released those who have been found with fake
documents. The United Nations has taken a vocal role against
the recruitment of child soldiers in conflicts, with the Security
Council threatening to impose sanctions on 15 countries and 40 rebel
groups it identified earlier this year [Full
Story]
Freed
child soldiers must not be re-recruited by LTTE following disbanding
of Eastern command
The Academic:
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo
The International
Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers today urged the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), to end confusion and state
clearly that it will not re-recruit any of the children released in
recent weeks. The organization urged the LTTE to give clear
instructions to Regional and local commanders of the LTTE not to
accept any children back into the ranks. The Coalition also said
that no former soldier, whatever his or her age, should be forced to
rejoin the LTTE. The Coalition said , Despite pledges to end
the use of child soldiers, it has received numerous reports that
vans have been circulating in the Batticaloa-Amparai districts and
announcing over loud speakers that all former cadres must register
for re-recruitment. Coalition sources say that many former child
soldiers are living in fear of re-recruitment. They and their
families also fear reprisals if they try to avoid returning to the
LTTE. [Full
Story]
Tamil Children killed by Prabhakaran with the help of funds from expatriate Tamils
Cadres loyal to Prabhakaran look on as the mother of a child captured by them weeps near the Kadiraveli Vidyalaya. (Details in Sunday Island).
UNICEF calls for Sri Lanka’s rebels to end recruitment of
child soldiers
UN News Centre
Confirming the deaths of two child soldiers last week during
fighting between two factions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has
called on the rebel group to free its remaining child soldiers and
not to re-recruit those it has already released. In a
statement released Friday, UNICEF said the victims, both girls, were
aged 17 and 18. They were killed during fighting in Sri Lanka’s east
between the LTTE and a breakaway group. UNICEF’s Representative in
Sri Lanka, Ted Chaiban, said the recruitment and use of child
soldiers cannot be tolerated. “Children should never be recruited or
accepted voluntarily into military organizations. Even now in a time
of relative peace in Sri Lanka, children have been sent to the front
lines and died there,” he said. UNICEF has been working to
facilitate the release of hundreds of child soldiers from the ranks
of the LTTE. Last Tuesday the LTTE formally released 209 children,
who were assisted in returning to their families by UNICEF. Another
50 returned of their own accord. [Full
Story]
UNICEF Action Plan for child soldiers
Sunday Observer: April 18, 2004
The United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) with several other Non Governmental
Organisations (NGOs) have worked out welfare programs for LTTE child
soldiers who have returned home in the East. Hundreds of child
soldiers, were released by the Eastern region LTTE command on the
Sinhala and Tamil New Year Day, April 13, in Vakarai and the UNICEF
is now in the process of compiling data. Geoff Keele, UNICEF
Communication Officer told the 'Sunday Observer' that the 'Catch-up
Education' program, a mobile health clinic, a counselling program
and vocational training programs are on to reintegrate these
children to the society. "The education of some child soldiers have
been completely disrupted and for years they grew up in an
environment, where their rights to live as children were denied", he
said. [Full
Story]
Sri
Lanka's Tamil Tigers free another 40 child
soldiers
Hindustan Times
Sri
Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas freed another 40 child soldiers on
Saturday, a day after the United Nations agency for children said
two underage combatants died in rebel factional fighting.
Thirty-one girls and nine boys -- all aged between 12 and 17 -- were
demobilised by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the
northeastern district of Trincomalee and handed to UNICEF, the
agency said. "We are just taking custody of the children,
interviewing them to assess their needs," UNICEF spokesman Geoffrey
Keele said. UNICEF said on Friday at least two child soldiers were
killed in Tamil Tiger factional fighting and demanded an immediate
release of all under-age combatants in Sri Lanka. The LTTE
freed over 250 child soldiers under the control of a renegade leader
in the island's east who went underground on Monday. The
defeated renegade, V Muralitharan, better known as Karuna,
demobilised the 5,000 to 6,000 fighters under him when he was
crushed by the LTTE's northern-based leadership. Hospital
sources had said at least seven child soldiers were wounded in the
factional fighting and that young boys and girls were also among the
dead. [Full
Story]
Forty
more child soldiers handed over to parents
Daily News: April 19, 2004
The LTTE
released 40 child soldiers in its custody to the UNICEF at Sampur on
Saturday. Trincomalee district political leader of the LTTE
S.Tilak handed over the child soldiers aged between 12 and 17 to the
Trincomalee district head of the UNICEF Gabriella Elroy. There
were 31 female and nine male child soldiers. Elroy said UNICEF has
taken upon itself the responsibility of looking after the interests
of the released child soldiers. While thanking the LTTE for the
gesture, she called upon the organisation to release any remaining
child soldiers from its custody. Tilak said a majority of the
children joined the LTTE mainly due to poverty. A few enlisted after
having runaway from homes following quarrels with parents. He said
the UNICEF had not taken steps to rehabilitate the child soldiers of
the last batch and there is a possibility that they may come back
and join the LTTE. [Full
Story]
NCPA
calls for non-involvement of children in N-E
conflict
Daily News: April 16, 2004
The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) calls for
non-involvement of children in the conflict in the North East.
Children and youth have faced the brunt of the trauma in this
long-standing war. It is time that the public, irrespective of
communal groups calls to an end these gross violations of
human/child rights, an NCPA spokesman said. He said that the
Convention on the Rights of the Children (CRC) and the ILO
Convention 182 condemn the deploying of child soldiers. The CRC had
mentioned the prevention of children from being conscripted in
1989. The exploitation of child labour is yet another form of
abuse, and was very recently introduced as one of the worst forms of
child labour under ILO Convention 182. Disallowing access to
neutral information and dialogue with the outside world is itself a
fundamental violation of the rights of the child (Article 17 of the
UN Convention of the Rights of the Child-CRC). [Full Story]
LTTE child soldiers - 14-year-old Sumithra and 15-year-old Thangeshwari - walk along a road at Kathirawel after being released by a rival LTTE faction. Rebels this week released more than 100 child soldiers in their biggest single release of underage combatants, according to the UNICEF. AFP (Full report in Daily Mirror)
Back to TopSri
Lanka's Tamil Tigers free another 40 child
soldiers
Hindustan Times
Sri
Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas freed another 40 child soldiers on
Saturday, a day after the United Nations agency for children said
two underage combatants died in rebel factional fighting. Thirty-one
girls and nine boys -- all aged between 12 and 17 -- were
demobilised by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the
northeastern district of Trincomalee and handed to UNICEF, the
agency said. "We are just taking custody of the children,
interviewing them to assess their needs," UNICEF spokesman Geoffrey
Keele said. UNICEF said on Friday at least two child soldiers were
killed in Tamil Tiger factional fighting and demanded an immediate
release of all under-age combatants in Sri Lanka. The LTTE freed
over 250 child soldiers under the control of a renegade leader in
the island's east who went underground on Monday. The defeated
renegade, V Muralitharan, better known as Karuna, demobilised the
5,000 to 6,000 fighters under him when he was crushed by the LTTE's
northern-based leadership. Hospital sources had said at least seven
child soldiers were wounded in the factional fighting and that young
boys and girls were also among the dead. [Full
Story]
Will
they release the Northern children too?
EDPD News
The political division of the LTTE in
the East released hundreds of children to the UNICEF and their
parents on the 13th of April 2004. Many were surprised at
this move as the LTTE has been repeatedly saying that there were no
child soldiers in their movement. Observers say this explains the
connection between the public statements issued by the LTTE and the
actual situation. Many wonder if the children with the LTTE in
the North will be lucky enough to be released too? [Full Story]
LTTE
says no more under-18 cadres in Batti-Ampara
Daily Mirror: April 16, 2004
The Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam said on Wednesday that they have released all
under-18 cadres in the Batticaloa-Amparai districts to their
parents. This includes all those the UNICEF had reported in its list
as under-aged recruits. Under a previous agreement between the
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and the UNICEF, titled
“Addressing needs of children affected by war,” each child would
receive follow-up visits by social workers to ensure that their
immediate needs were addressed within their home communities.
This was designed to prevent the children from wanting to rejoin the
LTTE and bring normalcy to their lives. The LTTE has said that
if in the future any underaged recruits were found among its cadres,
they would be handed over to their parents via the UNICEF with the
assistance of the TRO. [Full Story]
More
Than 1000 Child Soldiers in LTTE Ranks- UNICEF
Lanka Academic
United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) says that it is possible that more than 1000 child soldiers
are still in the ranks of the LTTE and the Agency is trying to get a
pledge from the LTTE not to recruit child soldiers in the future.
UNICEF spokesman Geoffrey Keele said the final count down of child
soldiers, which UNICEF facilitated the release in the east, could go
up to 183. Keele said he was awaiting confirmation from UNICEFs
Batticaloa office for further information. UNICEF said that
all the children released yesterday were from the eastern region and
the agency has called on the LTTE to begin a process of releasing
equal numbers of underage recruits from the northern cadres as well.
When questioned if UNICEF could ensure that the children released
will not be recruited again by the LTTE, Keele said "Our social
workers are working closely with the families to ensure they were
leading normal lives. We follow up with them on a regular basis. [Full
Story]
Free
child soldiers, demands UN
Bahrain
Tribune: April 17, 2004
At least two child soldiers
were killed in Tamil Tiger factional fighting, the UN agency for
children said yesterday, demanding an immediate release of all
under-age combatants in Sri Lanka. Unicef said an 18-year-old
who was recruited when she was 16 and a 17-year-old died in the
offensive the rebels launched last week to flush out a breakaway
leader. “Children should never be recruited or accepted
voluntarily into military organisations,” Unicef’s Sri Lanka chief
Ted Chaiban said. “Even in a time of relative peace, children
have been sent to the frontlines and have died there.” “This cannot
be tolerated. All people must take a stand on this issue and protect
children from this type of terrible tragedy.” He said the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) this week freed over 250
child soldiers who had been under the renegade commander’s control
in the island’s east, but said the LTTE must free all under-age
combatants. “Unicef calls on the LTTE to free the remaining
child soldiers in the organisation, including those in the north,
and to make a commitment to not re-recruit any of the children
released in the past week,” Chaiban said. n A political party
representing Tamil Tiger rebels slammed President Chandrika
Kumaratunga yesterday for not taking steps to restart peace talks
after her alliance won parliamentary elections earlier this
month. “The president has failed to take any meaningful step
to resume peace talks, although the Tamil people have given a clear
mandate,” the Tamil National Alliance said in a statement.
Kumaratunga’s political alliance emerged as the biggest winner in
the April 2 polls, defeating former premier Ranil Wickremesinghe. [Full
Story]
Sri
Lanka's Tamil Tiger Rebels Free 220 Child Soldiers in
East
Bloomberg: April 15, 2004
Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam freed about
220 child soldiers belonging to a splinter group as it stamped out
resistance from the breakaway faction in the east of the country.
The under-age soldiers belonging to the breakaway group, as young as
10 years and with an average age of 15, have returned to their
families, Geoff Keele of the United Nations Children's Fund, or
Unicef, said in a phone interview in Colombo, the South Asian
island-nation's capital. ``A large number of former child
soldiers are going back to their families and it will take us weeks
to work out how many,'' Keele said. They were told to go home ``soon
after the factional fighting started.'' The children had been
under the command of Colonel Karuna, 37, the leader of the faction
that broke away last month from the main grouping led by Velupillai
Prabhakaran, 49. More child fighters are expected to return home
with Karuna, whose real name is Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, having
fled his eastern stronghold. [Full
Story]
Press
Release by UNICEF
UNICEF
confirms death of two child soldiers in LTTE fighting.
UNICEF
calls on the LTTE to ensure released child soldiers are not
re-recruited.
UNICEF: April 16,
2004
UNICEF has confirmed the tragic deaths of two child
soldiers in the LTTE fighting that took place in Sri Lanka’s east
last week. The children were 17 and 18 year old girls. The 18 year
old had been in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) since
August 2001 when she was just 16. Both girls were in Kanuna’s cadre
at the time of their death, but while any child soldiers remain in
the LTTE they are also at risk. The families of the two girls are
grieving the senseless loss of their young daughters. In the wake of
this tragedy, UNICEF calls on the LTTE to free the remaining child
soldiers in the organization, including those in the north, and to
make a commitment to not re-recruit any of the children released in
the past week. “I would like to send our condolences to the families
of the children killed in the recent fighting,” said Ted Chaiban,
UNICEF’s Representative in Sri Lanka. “Children should never be
recruited or accepted voluntarily into military organizations. Even
now in a time of relative peace in Sri Lanka, children have been
sent to the front lines and have died there. [Full Story]
Hundreds of child soldiers returning home
Daily News: April 15, 2004
UNICEF facilitated the release of nearly 150 former
child soldiers by the LTTE on April 13 in Vakkarai in Sri Lanka's
eastern region. While UNICEF is still working to confirm the total
number of children being released, so far the agency has met and
registered over 100 children. "UNICEF welcomes the release of these
children and will provide support to them and their families to make
reintegrating back into their communities as smooth as possible",
said Mr. Ted Chaiban, UNICEF's Representative in Sri Lanka. "For too
long these children have had to live as soldiers and have been
denied the rights of other children to learn, play and live in the
security of a family environment," he added. UNICEF says that
potentially hundreds of other child soldiers from the eastern region
have also given up arms and are returning home of their own accord.
UNICEF asks that all parents who have children return directly to
them contact UNICEF so that the agency can assess the condition of
the children and provide follow up assistance with their
reintegration. [Full Story]
Call
to increased action for Sri Lanka's war affected children
UNICEF: January 22, 2004
A call for more commitment to make lasting improvements
in the lives of Sri Lanka’s most vulnerable children has been made
in a report that details progress by partners to the Action Plan for
Children Affected by War. The report was compiled by UNICEF. It
gives an overview on the situation of children affected by war, and
details what was done in 2003 to help address urgent needs. The
report follows the Oslo, Berlin and Hakone peace talks where the
parties asked UNICEF to develop an Action Plan for Children Affected
by War to monitor, report on and address child rights violations in
the North East. Partners implementing the Action Plan include the
Ministry of Social Welfare, Tamils Rehabilitation Organization
(TRO), ILO, Save the Children in Sri Lanka, UNDP, UNHCR, and UNICEF.
Despite the two year old ceasefire there are still many children
suffering the effects of twenty years of conflict. The Action Plan
is a combined agency effort that links Government, LTTE, donors, Non
Governmental Organisations and UN agencies in a united approach to
address the health, education, and protection needs of children
affected by war. It is estimated that 50,000 children in the
affected region are out of school, around 140,000 have been
displaced from their homes while landmines have killed 20 and maimed
17 children in 2003 alone. In the North East there is a serious
deficit of education and health staff. More than 5,800 additional
Tamil medium and 200 Sinhala medium teachers are needed. [Full Story]
UNICEF slams Tigers over continuing child recruitment
The Island: January 23, 2004
The UNICEF yesterday said that the LTTE still had 1,300
children in its ranks. In a progress report on a $ 14 million Action
Plan drawn up last year by the government and the LTTE to assist the
war affected children, the UN agency said they were particularly
concerned about the use of children as soldiers. Partners
implementing the Action Plan include the Ministry of Social Welfare,
Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), ILO, Save the Children in
Sri Lanka. UNDP, UNHCR, and UNICEF. New UNICEF figures in the report
state that during 2003, 709 children were recruited by the LTTE. In
the same period, a total of 202 children were released, either to
the recently established transit centre at Kilinochchi or directly
back to their families. From reports submitted by families, UNICEF
knows of at least 1,301 children are still in the LTTE. In a three
month period during August, September and October, recruitment
increased with reports of 304 children taken into the LTTE. In the
last two months of the year, reported recruitment fell with 17
reported cases in November and 14 in December. [Full Story]
UNICEF wants Tamil Tigers to send child soldiers home - Daily Times: March 09, 2004 : COLOMBO: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Sunday announced it was starting talks with Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels in a bid to help child soldiers return to their families. A plan was being developed to restore normalcy to the lives of children affected by Sri Lanka’s drawn-out Tamil separatist war, including those used as soldiers and labourers, UNICEF said. [Full Story]
Back to TopDon’t
sacrifice our children
- Parents of tiger members demand Prabha & Karuna -
Lanka Truth: March 09, 2004 :
More than 500 youths from the Eastern Province are being
detained by Prabhakaran in Vanni and a large number of their parents
have gone to the rescue of their chidren during the last few days
say our sources in Vanni. The parents have demanded the tiger
headquarters at Vanni to release their sons and daughters without
sacrificing them. With the conflict between Prabhakaran and Karuna
escalating many members of the tiger organization have been detained
by both parties suspecting them to support the other.
Prabhakaran has imprisoned the members supporting Karuna in
detaining camps at Vanni while Karuna has detained members to be
supportive of Prabhakaran at several places in the Eastern Province.
These tiger members who have been detained by both parties face the
risk of being murdered at any moment and their parents are making an
arduous effort to rescue them. [Full
Story]
Losing battle to rescue child soldiers
Aisa Times: January 30, 2004
: ....The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) pledged to
demobilize children after a ceasefire two years ago in Sri Lanka,
Asia's other leading conflict zone, but has released only 202 child
fighters. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported in another
assessment this week that the LTTE recruited 709 under-age fighters
in 2003, despite promises that it wouldn't enlist anyone below 18
years of age. While the average age of children utilized by the LTTE
is 15, some are as young as 10. The rebel group claims that most
enroll voluntarily to flee poverty or abuse from government forces.
[Full
Story]
Defence Pact with India: A starting point for Southern
consensus
Daily Mirror:
January 28, 2004 : ...For instance, though child
recruitment continues to be a moot point, with regular statements by
the UNICEF on the failure by the LTTE to refrain from recruiting
youngsters, we have witnessed the international community becoming
less strident in taking on the LTTE on this issue. So far only 56
child combatants have been handed over by the LTTE to the
UNICEF-sponsored transit centres. In the absence of a demand by the
international community that a stipulated number of child soldiers
(say 500 or 750) - be sent for rehabilitation before the donors
start funding the North and the East, one will not be surprised even
if the LTTE completely stops sending child soldiers for
reintegration with society. [Full
Story]
Refugees fear of LTTE over security of children
Sinhala Net: January 28, 2004 :
As reported in The Island, United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees has said that the main concern of remaining internally
displaced people was security and the fear of child recruitment is
one element of it. Other concerns were threat of land mines, ongoing
human right violations by LTTE and fear of renewed violence. Refugee
International in their latest report published on 20th January, has
quoted the same reasons for the reluctance of Sri Lankan refugees in
India, to return to Sri Lanka. They accused LTTE of recruiting child
soldiers and have quoted as the main reason for the refugees’
reluctance. Although many of the refugees have been repatriated to
Sri Lanka over the years, at present 61,000 Sri Lankan Tamils are
living in 103 government-run camps in the South Indian state of
Tamilnadu. An additional 20,000 refugees live outside the camps. [Full
Story]
Child
soldiers or street children – Special report from Sri Lanka
FSRN: January 28, 2004 :
UNICEF issued a report last week claiming that the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka maintain over 700 child
soldiers in their rebel military force. The report alleges an
increase in recruitment, undermining a plan set-up between the
rebels and the international community. In an exclusive interview
with FSRN, the LTTE's top political leader admitted the numbers may
be correct but said there's now no need to recruit children, as a
cease-fire agreement between the rebels and the government has
shifted the LTTE focus to diplomacy. Yet as our correspondent Miles
Ashdown reports, the LTTE leader says it's better to have child
soldiers than street children. [Full
Story]
UNICEF seeks commitment from LTTE on child soldiers
Daily Mirror: January 23, 2004
The UNICEF will try to ensure that the LTTE commits its
pledge to avoid child recruitment, regardless of the progress of the
peace process and release all child soldiers, its local mission
chief Ted Chaiban said yesterday. He was speaking at the releasing
of their annual report at the UNICEF office in Colombo. The UNICEF
Action Plan, aims at addressing the needs of 50,000 children
affected by war in the North and East. It is undertaken in a bid "to
create good living conditions for war-affected children in the North
and East of Sri Lanka." Mr. Chaiban said progress in peace talks
would result in a better human and child rights situation.
Commenting on pinning the LTTE to its commitment to end child
recruitment, the UNICEF head of mission said, "For the first time
there is a mechanism which the Tigers had signed and to which they
could be made to commit. Specific commitment by the LTTE is required
and cessation of recruitment needs to take place this year." [Full Story]
UNICEF slams Tigers over continuing child recruitment
The Island: January 23, 2004
: The UNICEF yesterday said that the LTTE still had 1,300
children in its ranks. In a progress report on a $ 14 million Action
Plan drawn up last year by the government and the LTTE to assist the
war affected children, the UN agency said they were particularly
concerned about the use of children as soldiers. Partners
implementing the Action Plan include the Ministry of Social Welfare,
Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), ILO, Save the Children in
Sri Lanka. UNDP, UNHCR, and UNICEF. New UNICEF figures in the report
state that during 2003, 709 children were recruited by the LTTE. In
the same period, a total of 202 children were released, either to
the recently established transit centre at Kilinochchi or directly
back to their families. From reports submitted by families, UNICEF
knows of at least 1,301 children are still in the LTTE. In a three
month period during August, September and October, recruitment
increased with reports of 304 children taken into the LTTE. In the
last two months of the year, reported recruitment fell with 17
reported cases in November and 14 in December. [Full Story]
LTTE
recruited 709 children in 2003 - UNICEF
Daily News: January 23, 2004 : The latest
UNICEF report on children affected by war in Sri Lanka states that
709 children have been recruited by the LTTE during 2003 alone
adding that they had information that at least 1,301 children were
still in the LTTE. The UNICEF has compiled this report on the
progress by the Partners to the Action Plan for Children affected by
War, a press release issued by the UNICEF stated. Following the
Oslo, Berlin and Hakone peace talks the UNICEF as asked to develop
an Action Plan for Children Affected by War to monitor, report on
and address child rights violations in the North East. The UNICEF
stresses that if the Action Plan was to be a success and to address
the rights of children affected by war the LTTE must cease all
recruitment of children and also release all child soldiers. The
UNICEF in its latest report states that during 2003 a total of 202
children were released either to the recently established transit
centre at Kilinochchi or directly back to their families by the
LTTE. During August, September and October recruitment of children
to the LTTE increased with reports of 304 instances of child
recruitment within this three months. "In the last two months of the
year, reported recruitment fell with 17 reported cases in November
and 14 in December," the release added. [Full Story]
UNICEF seeks commitment from LTTE on child soldiers
Daily Mirror: January 23, 2004
: The UNICEF will try to ensure that the LTTE commits its
pledge to avoid child recruitment, regardless of the progress of the
peace process and release all child soldiers, its local mission
chief Ted Chaiban said yesterday. He was speaking at the releasing
of their annual report at the UNICEF office in Colombo. The UNICEF
Action Plan, aims at addressing the needs of 50,000 children
affected by war in the North and East. It is undertaken in a bid "to
create good living conditions for war-affected children in the North
and East of Sri Lanka." Mr. Chaiban said progress in peace talks
would result in a better human and child rights situation.
Commenting on pinning the LTTE to its commitment to end child
recruitment, the UNICEF head of mission said, "For the first time
there is a mechanism which the Tigers had signed and to which they
could be made to commit. Specific commitment by the LTTE is required
and cessation of recruitment needs to take place this year." [Full Story]
S.Lanka rebels recruit 709 child soldiers
ARAB Times: January 23, 2004
: COLOMBO (Reuters) - More than 700 children have been
recruited as soldiers by Sri Lanka's Tamil. Tiger rebels last year
despite a ceasefire in the island's ethnic war, the U.N. children's
agency says. In a progress report on a 8 million pound Action Plan
drawn up last year by the government and the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to help 50,000 war-affected children, UNICEF said
the rebels had still not stopped taking children as soldiers. "In
2003, UNICEF received reports of 709 children recruited by the LTTE
and 202 released from the LTTE," UNICEF said on Thursday. It said
the average age was 15 years, while the youngest recruit was only 10
years old. [Full
Story]
Call
to increased action for Sri Lanka's war affected children
UNICEF: January 22, 2004 :
A call for more commitment to make lasting improvements in the
lives of Sri Lanka’s most vulnerable children has been made in a
report that details progress by partners to the Action Plan for
Children Affected by War. The report was compiled by UNICEF.
It gives an overview on the situation of children affected by war,
and details what was done in 2003 to help address urgent needs. The
report follows the Oslo, Berlin and Hakone peace talks where the
parties asked UNICEF to develop an Action Plan for Children Affected
by War to monitor, report on and address child rights violations in
the North East. Partners implementing the Action Plan include the
Ministry of Social Welfare, Tamils Rehabilitation Organization
(TRO), ILO, Save the Children in Sri Lanka, UNDP, UNHCR, and UNICEF.
Despite the two year old ceasefire there are still many children
suffering the effects of twenty years of conflict. The Action Plan
is a combined agency effort that links Government, LTTE, donors, Non
Governmental Organisations and UN agencies in a united approach to
address the health, education, and protection needs of children
affected by war. It is estimated that 50,000 children in the
affected region are out of school, around 140,000 have been
displaced from their homes while landmines have killed 20 and maimed
17 children in 2003 alone. In the North East there is a serious
deficit of education and health staff. More than 5,800 additional
Tamil medium and 200 Sinhala medium teachers are needed. [Full Story]
LTTE
recruited 709 children last year
Colombo Page: January 22, 2004 : The United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says the LTTE recruited 709
children for their force in 2003. It urged the release of all child
soldiers immediately. A report released by UNICEF warned the LTTE to
stop the recruitment of children, adding, "LTTE must release all
child soldiers." [Full
Story]
Call
to increased action for Sri Lanka's war affected children
UNICEF: January 22, 2004 :
A call for more commitment to make lasting improvements in the
lives of Sri Lanka’s most vulnerable children has been made in a
report that details progress by partners to the Action Plan for
Children Affected by War. The report was compiled by UNICEF. It
gives an overview on the situation of children affected by war, and
details what was done in 2003 to help address urgent needs. The
report follows the Oslo, Berlin and Hakone peace talks where the
parties asked UNICEF to develop an Action Plan for Children Affected
by War to monitor, report on and address child rights violations in
the North East. Partners implementing the Action Plan include the
Ministry of Social Welfare, Tamils Rehabilitation Organization
(TRO), ILO, Save the Children in Sri Lanka, UNDP, UNHCR, and UNICEF.
[Full Story]
UNICEF urges Tamil Tigers to stop recruiting child soldiers
in Sri Lanka
UN News Centre:
January 22, 2004 : [Full
Story]
'More
child troops' in Sri Lanka
BBC:
January 22, 2004 : Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have
increased their numbers of child soldiers in spite of a ceasefire,
the United Nations says. The UN's children's agency, Unicef, has
urged the rebels to release about 1,300 children in the Tamil Tiger
ranks. The Tigers dispute the figures, saying the great majority of
those counted as children by Unicef are over 18. The BBC's Frances
Harrison in Colombo says there is the real possibility that the
child soldiers may fight again. Twice this week the Tigers have
warned the ceasefire could break down because of problems with the
peace process. [Full
Story]
LTTE
recruiting children
aljazeera:
January 22, 2004 : Sri Lanka's rebel Tamil Tigers are
facing fresh accusations of recruiting child soldiers despite a
ceasefire in the strife-torn country. The United Nation's children
agency, UNICEF on Thursday said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) recruited 709 underage fighters last year to bring the number
of child soldiers in their ranks to 1,301 at the end of December.
"The LTTE must cease all recruitment of children and they must
release all child soldiers immediately," UNICEF representative Ted
Chaiban said. The fresh recruitments of child soldiers took place
even while the LTTE observed a Norway-brokered truce with the
government in Colombo. The disconcerting UNICEF report came amid a
breakdown in peace talks and growing fears of a fresh outbreak of
hostilities between government forces and the rebels. [Full
Story]
Child
soldiers: UNICEF raps LTTE
The
Hindu: January 22, 2004 : [Full
Story]
Report Shows Child Soldier Use Continues Unabated
Scoop: Press Release by Amnesty
International: January 21, 2004 : Children continued to
be used as soldiers, sexual slaves, labourers, porters and spies
throughout 2003 in both newly-erupting and longstanding conflicts,
according to a report released on the eve of the United Nations
Security Council's fourth open debate on children and armed
conflict. The report, released today by the Coalition to Stop the
Use of Child Soldiers, details evidence of governments and armed
groups recruiting and using child soldiers in numerous conflicts
worldwide. The Coalition calls for action by the UN Security Council
to insist upon - and enforce - an end to child recruitment.
.....In Sri Lanka the forced conscription of children by the armed
opposition Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) continues, despite LTTE
pledges to demobilize children from their ranks. [Full
Story]
S.Lankan Rebels Recruit 709 Child Soldiers
Reuters: January 21, 2004
: [Full
Story]
LTTE
under pressure to cease recruitment of child soldiers
Sunday Leader: January 18,
2004 : Refugee International, a group based in New York that
monitors organisations dealing with Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) worldwide, has said in its latest report that the
international community should step up pressure on the LTTE to cease
recruitment of child soldiers. It has stated that if the LTTE
wishes to escape the stigma of being a terrorist organisation, one
of the most positive moves it can make is to demonstrate that it is
not recruiting or utilising child soldiers. [Full
Story]
Activists say Sri Lankan rebels still recruit children
despite cease-fire
Lanka
Academic/Associated Press: January 18, 2004 :
NEELESH
MISRA - Associated Press Writer- BOMBAY, India (AP)
Sri Lanka's
Tamil Tiger guerrillas are still recruiting children and students
even though a cease-fire with the government halted the country's
two-decade civil war two years ago, peace and human rights activists
said Saturday. Vickneswari Ramalingam, a volunteer worker in Sri
Lanka - 's war-wracked Jaffna province, said several of her
girlfriends have joined the rebels. ``Children go willingly to join
the LTTE. They are living under its control, but they like it,''
said Ramalingam. The rebels deny recruiting children and say those
in its custody are war refugees who have sought shelter. The group
has displayed posters, however, showing young boys in uniform
carrying out military duties. The U.N. Children's Fund says the
Tigers have more than 1,250 child soldiers. The Coalition to Stop
the Use of Child Soldiers, a human rights group, says children are
used in armed conflict in 18 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin
America and the Middle East. Rallies were planned this weekend at
the World Social Forum to protest children being forced to work for
low wages and in inhumane conditions as farm laborers, domestic
servants, carpet weavers and candle makers in Asia and Africa.
Back to Top
20,000 School dropouts have returned to schools in North/East
Lanka Academic: January 16,
2004 :
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 6.45 A.M
Friday 16 January.
Nearly 20,000 school dropouts have returned
to schools in the North East after the ceasefire agreement between
the government and the LTTE. In the North/East, the rate of student
dropout was 15%, approximately 50,000 children, four times the
national average. The government has now developed an action plan to
address the needs of 50,000 children affected by war. According to
the office of the Commissioner General of Relief, Reconstruction and
Rehabilitation 55 schools have been reconstructed by using donor
fund while 93 schools have been identified for repairs in 2004 using
international resources. 35,000 children in the region have been
provided with tables and chairs in the classrooms. The ministry of
education is carrying out general education projects, teacher
education and teacher deployment projects, rehabilitation of schools
vacated by the security forces and secondary education modernization
projects with the support of donors such as the World Bank, ADB, GTZ
and NORAD. In the North and the East of Sri Lanka, there are 1,994
schools with a total enrolment of about 648,000.
Though the
government has shown an increased interest to improve the education
in the North and the East the LTTE activities targeting school
children continues. Last week twenty members of the LTTE staged
propaganda dramas at the Tamil Maha Vidyalaya in Vauniya during
school sessions without obtaining permission from the authorities.
LTTE staged the drama despite number of assurances given to the Sri
Lanka Monitoring Mission on several occasions. Latest report
released by the Refugees International pointed out that many
families fear that their sons, including teenagers, will be induced
to join or will be impressed into the LTTE's army and recruitment of
child soldiers by the LTTE has increased since the ceasefire.
Earlier reports said that some parents have stopped their children
from going to school since the LTTE is abducting unsuspecting
children at the rate of nearly two a day. School children have
expressed concern that they cannot concentrate on exams due to fear.
One official said " The government can do this much and more. But,
the LTTE must allow innocent children to study since they are the
future of this country."
Back
to Top
Swedish MPs visits North on study tour
Daily News: January 16, 2004
: Swedish Members of Parliament, Hillevi Engstrom, Cristina
Husmark Pehersson and Inger Rene visited Killinochchi and Jaffna on
January 12 on a UNICEF hosted study tour. The MPs learnt more about
the peace process, concrete results of Swedish development
co-operation and the situation of children affected by war. The
delegation visited programs supported by the Swedish Government in
Killinochchi and Jaffna. The Swedish MPs also met the leader of
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) political wing
Tamiliselvan at the LTTE Headquarters in Killinochchi. A press
release issued by the Swedish Embassy on behalf of the four MPs
said: "The Swedish MPs expressed their concern and worries about the
children affected by war, particularly children recruited as
soldiers by the LTTE. Despite the action plan for children affected
by war, developed jointly by UNICEF, other UN agencies, the Sri
Lanka Government and the LTTE, child recruitment continues. [Full Story]
Swedish MPs concerned over alleged child recruitment
Daily Mirror: January 16, 2004
: .....According to the UNICEF, some 700 cases of alleged
child recruitment by the LTTE had been reported last year. The
Swedish MPs were encouraged by Mr. Thamilselvan's pledge to solve
the issue by the end of next year, the statement said. [Full Story]
Worldwide Use of Child Soldiers Continues Unabated
Human Rights Watch: January 16,
2004 : The report, released today by The Coalition to Stop
the Use of Child Soldiers, details evidence of governments and armed
groups recruiting and using child soldiers in a number of conflicts
worldwide. The Coalition, which was founded in 1998 by Human Rights
Watch and seven leading nongovernmental organizations, calls for
action by the U.N. Security Council to insist upon—and enforce—an
end to child recruitment.
.....In Burma there was little if any
progress in ending child soldiering, with an estimated 70,000
children in the government armed forces. Exiled children told of
being abducted by government forces and taken to military camps
where they were subject to beatings, forced labor and combat. Recent
reports from Colombia reveal that the number of children used by
armed groups has increased to around 11,000 in recent years, with
children as young as 12 trained and deployed to use explosives and
weapons. In Sri Lanka the forced conscription of children by the
armed opposition Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) continues, despite the
armed group's pledges to demobilize children from their ranks. [Full
Story]
Report Shows Child Soldier Use Continues Unabated
AllAfrica.com: January 16,
2004 : [Full Story]
Refugee International urges international community to step
up pressure on LTTE to cease child recruitment
Colombo Page: January 13, 2004 : The Refugee
International in it latest reports recommended that the
international community step up pressure on the LTTE to cease
recruitment of child soldiers. It said, “If the LTTE wishes to
escape the stigma of being a terrorist organization, one of the most
positive moves it can make is to demonstrate that it is not
recruiting or utilizing child soldiers. The UNICEF program to
demobilize child soldiers should be supported by donors at a level
to meet the needs of the program”. The report also stated that
“Spoken of only obliquely is the fear of many families that their
sons, including teenagers, will be induced to join or will be
impressed into the LTTE’s army”. [Full
Story]
UN
urged to protect children from war
Manila Times: January 11, 2004 : A coalition of
groups is urging UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to prepare an
annual list of governments and groups that recruit or use child
soldiers or fail to protect children during military
conflicts. ....In Sri Lanka, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE), which has been battling a separatist war in the
northeast of that country, has a long record of using child soldiers
and of breaking commitments to stop, according to the Sri Lanka
government. [Full
Story]
Terrorism in East including Lanka has base in West
Daily Mirror: January 08, 2004
: Wrapping violence in high-sounding ideologies is a process
that is vital for the perpetrators of violence to transubstantiate
their grab for power to a sacred level of salvation for all. For
instance, republicanism and freedom were the catch cries of the
Roman aristocracy when it was about to lose power to Caesar who was
drifting towards a one-man imperial role dressed in royal ermine.
There is also a symbiotic relationship with violence and ideology:
one reinforces the other. Terrorism is a cult that gathers momentum
with each killing. But this killing needs legitimacy in the eyes of
its followers and the world at large. Sympathetic intellectuals and
propagandists, mesmerized by the success of violence, step in to
fabricate ideologies and even theologies. Its increased capacity to
destroy enhances its faith in violence as the desperate answer to
perceived grievances.
.....Then there is the Sri Lankan example.
The chief spokesperson for the Tamil Tiger terrorists, Anton
Balasingham, has acquired British citizenship and conducts
propaganda campaigns from his base in London. His wife, Adele
Balasingham, an Australian nurse, was instrumental in training young
Tamil women into killing squads. Child soldiers abducted from
schools, homes or even festivals were brain-washed and turned into
killers by Adele. She too has acquired a British passport. Both have
been given a safe haven in London. No questions asked about crimes
against humanity that came from the International Secretariat of the
LTTE, Eelam House, 202, Long Lane, London SE1, 4QB. In contrast to
this, today the London streets in which suspected Muslims live are
cordoned off and house-to-house searches are conducted within hours
of British authorities deciding that they are threat to British
national interests. A discernible pattern in the war against
terrorism is to launch instant hunts of terrorists that threaten
white interests and not touch the "safe havens" of terrorists that
blow up non-white nations. Terrorists are also quick to exploit the
legal, political and social systems to campaign for fascist
terrorist masters back home. On August 5, 2003, a Tamil-American
physician in US, Dr. Jeyalingam, aided by the Center for
Constitutional Rights, filed a lawsuit against the US Patriot Act,
in a Los Angeles Court on August 5, 2003, challenging the law that
criminalizes the provision of "expert advice and assistance " to
banned organizations like the LTTE. He claims that the new Act has
abridged his rights guaranteed under the Constitution. Without
buying into the pros and cons of this claim (which would be lengthy)
it could be seen that this is not a legal manoeuvre to claim his
rights under the American Constitution but a political exercise to
test the loopholes in the legal system for terrorists to legitimize
their subhuman violence. [Full
Story]