LTTE's child conscription unacceptable - UNICEF

The United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) yesterday claimed that continued recruitment of children by the LTTE was ‘completely unacceptable’ and was a serious violation of children’s rights.

The UNICEF on Friday (03) opened the first transit centre at Kilinochchi to end child recruitment and marked the release of some child soldiers under the LTTE.

The UNICEF in a statement yesterday said:

"UNICEF today verified a number of cases of child recruitment by the LTTE in Valachchenai. Ted Chaiban, Representative for the UN agency stated, "UNICEF teams on the ground are working to verify the exact numbers of children recruited, but the numbers are not the issue - the recruitment of just one child is a serious violation of children’s rights. This continued recruitment of children is completely unacceptable and this type of action undermines the work and commitment of the LTTE towards making the Action Plan for Children Affected by War a success."

UNICEF has consistently called for an end to child recruitment most recently at the opening of the first transit centre for released child soldiers in Kilinochchi on Friday 3 October 2003. In his speech at the event, Ted Chaiban again emphasised that "UNICEF is

LTTE's child

still receiving cases of child recruitment in all districts of the North East and it has to be understood that if the reintegration of child soldiers is to be successful then new recruitment has to stop."

"UNICEF has repeatedly stated that for the implementation of the Action Plan to be a success, we need to see an end to child solders in Sri Lanka and realise the full potential and bright future of children affected by war," Chaiban continued. The time for child soldiers in Sri Lanka is now over and UNICEF has called on the LTTE to immediately release these children from Valaichchenai."