STOP USING/ ABUSING CHILDREN IN WAR!!!

TMVP/UN sign agreement to end child recruitment

By Jamila Najmuddin

The TMVP has signed an agreement with the UN in collaboration with the government to put an end to child recruitment by the former LTTE cadres.

The LTTE have been long accused by the UN and other human rights groups of still being actively involved in using children for military purposes.

UNICEF said the agreement would ensure that all children currently with the TMVP are released and provided with reintegration assistance.

According to the UNICEF, as of October 31, the TMVP out of which 62 are under the age of 18 and 71 were recruited while under 18 but have now passed that age.

“The action plan is the first step is to ensure that the children, especially in the north and east are safe. The number of children recruited by the TMVP remains static, which is a clear sign that the numbers are not increasing,” UNICEF Spokesperson James Elder told the Daily Mirror.

The Action Plan, which gives a clear timetable of required actions by the signatories over the next three months, has been signed by the leader of the TMVP, Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, in the presence of Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan and by the Commissioner General for Rehabilitation, Suhada Gamalath and the UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka Philippe Duamelle.

“Monday’s signing clearly states the commitment of the three parties to efficiently tackle the issue of the use and recruitment of children, which is against Sri Lankan and International Law and does great physical and psychological damage to children,” Gamalath was quoted in a statement released by UNICEF yesterday.

He added that the government regards the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as a serious child rights’ violation and has consistently asserted its “zero tolerance” position on the practice.

“This agreement shows a clear political commitment and is a very important step in putting an end to the recruitment and use of children by the TMVP,” said UNICEF’s Representative in Sri Lanka, Philippe Duamelle.

“The Action Plan must now be translated into concrete actions on the ground which will then lead to significant results for children in the very near future,” he added.

Meanwhile, according to the UNICEF, the LTTE has 1,424 outstanding cases of under age recruitment as of October 31 out of which 108 are under the age of 18, and 1,316 were recruited while under 18 but have now passed that age.

For security reasons, UNICEF had to temporarily re-locate its operations from Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts on September 16 and as a result, UNICEF has since been unable to receive and verify cases of child recruitment since that time, the UNICEF Spokesperson said.
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