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Peace monitors and Lankan rebels meet over child soldiers
Colombo, Jan 28: Peace monitors met with Tamil Tiger rebels today amid allegations that the insurgents have recruited hundreds of children to be soldiers since a ceasefire was signed last February.
Colombo, Jan 28: Peace monitors met with Tamil Tiger rebels today amid allegations that the insurgents have
recruited hundreds of children to be soldiers since a ceasefire was signed last February.
Human rights groups have long accused the rebels of recruiting children as young as 12, many of them by force, in their fight against government troops. But a January 22 report by European peace monitors has accused the insurgents of employing 313 children since the truce was signed with the government. "The head of mission will try to make the LTTE understand that their practice of child recruitment is very counter productive and greatly disturbs normalcy," peace mission spokesman Teitur Torkelsson said.
The talks today are between chief peace monitor Trond Furuhovde and the head of the rebels' political wing, S P Thamilselvan, and are being held in the northern rebel-held town of Kilinochchi.
About 65,000 people were killed in 19 years of fighting between the rebels and government forces.
Bureau Report
The talks today are between chief peace monitor Trond Furuhovde and the head of the rebels' political wing, S P Thamilselvan, and are being held in the northern rebel-held town of Kilinochchi.
About 65,000 people were killed in 19 years of fighting between the rebels and government forces.
Bureau Report
Human rights groups have long accused the rebels of recruiting children as young as 12, many of them by force, in their fight against government troops. But a January 22 report by European peace monitors has accused the insurgents of employing 313 children since the truce was signed with the government. "The head of mission will try to make the LTTE understand that their practice of child recruitment is very counter productive and greatly disturbs normalcy," peace mission spokesman Teitur Torkelsson said.
The talks today are between chief peace monitor Trond Furuhovde and the head of the rebels' political wing, S P Thamilselvan, and are being held in the northern rebel-held town of Kilinochchi.
About 65,000 people were killed in 19 years of fighting between the rebels and government forces.
Bureau Report
The talks today are between chief peace monitor Trond Furuhovde and the head of the rebels' political wing, S P Thamilselvan, and are being held in the northern rebel-held town of Kilinochchi.
About 65,000 people were killed in 19 years of fighting between the rebels and government forces.
Bureau Report