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Child soldiers still at risk as LTTE seeks recruits: HRW
New York, Apr 28: A human rights group has warned that Sri Lanka`s Tamil Tiger rebels were trying to re-enlist child soldiers freed in the recent defeat of a rival group, urging it to stop.
New York, Apr 28: A human rights group has warned that Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels were trying to re-enlist child soldiers freed in the recent defeat of a rival group,
urging it to stop.
Human Rights Watch said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam "must halt all efforts to recruit recently released child soldiers," and called on international agencies in
eastern Sri Lanka to actively monitor the situation.
Children under 18 years were banned from armed conflict in February 2002 under the optional protocol to the convention on the rights of the child. In early April, the LTTE defeated breakaway group Karuna - both of which use many child soldiers - killing two girl soldiers, according to the United Nations Children's Fund.
After an unknown number of children surrendered to the LTTE, 209 were released on demands by their families, and 800 others returned on their own. However, thousands more are believed to remain with LTTE forces in the north of the country, HRW said.
"Children need to be kept away from the ranks of fighters, and the Tamil tigers especially," said Brad Adams, the executive director for HRW's Asia division. International agencies - such as UNICEF and the Norwegian-led Sri Lankan monitoring mission - must have a presence in the villages where these children live if there is any hope of preventing the LTTE from returning these children to its forces, Adams said.
Bureau Report
Children under 18 years were banned from armed conflict in February 2002 under the optional protocol to the convention on the rights of the child. In early April, the LTTE defeated breakaway group Karuna - both of which use many child soldiers - killing two girl soldiers, according to the United Nations Children's Fund.
After an unknown number of children surrendered to the LTTE, 209 were released on demands by their families, and 800 others returned on their own. However, thousands more are believed to remain with LTTE forces in the north of the country, HRW said.
"Children need to be kept away from the ranks of fighters, and the Tamil tigers especially," said Brad Adams, the executive director for HRW's Asia division. International agencies - such as UNICEF and the Norwegian-led Sri Lankan monitoring mission - must have a presence in the villages where these children live if there is any hope of preventing the LTTE from returning these children to its forces, Adams said.
Bureau Report