|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
| Saturday, 5 February 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Security | Today's Top Story | |
| News Business Features Editorial Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
The LTTE said yesterday they were freeing 23 child soldiers after allegations they recruited at least 40 underage combatants since the island was battered by tsunamis. The LTTE said the 23 children were handed over to the North East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR) on Thursday to be reunited with their parents. "In a process of identifying underage kids among those volunteered for enlistment with the LTTE... 23 such children were handed over to the NESOHR chairperson Rev. Fr. M.X. Karunaratnam," the Tigers said in a statement. The release came a week after the United Nations children's fund accused Tigers of recruiting at least 40 child soldiers since tsunamis devastated Sri Lanka's coastlines and killed nearly 31,000 people on December 26. The LTTE had taken three children from a relief centre for survivors in the north-eastern region of Trincomalee and another from the neighbouring Batticaloa district, UNICEF said. The other children had been recruited from areas of the northeast held by them, UNICEF said. International rights organisations have accused the Tigers of stepping up recruitment of child soldiers since entering into a truce with government forces in February 2002. Both sides have pledged commitment to uphold the ceasefire despite a breakdown in peace negotiations since April 2003. Human Rights Watch last November accused the rebels of enlisting more than 3,500 boys and girls aged below 18 since the Oslo-brokered truce went into place. Amnesty International, the International Commission of Jurists and foreign governments have also criticised the recruitment of child soldiers. - AFP |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
