LTTE recruited child soldiers in large number during CFA period - Dr. Wijemanna

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LTTE recruited child soldiers in large number during CFA period - Dr. Wijemanna
Due to the failure on the part of the international community to make child rights a condition for financial support to rebuild the war devastated areas, the LTTE threw a large number of child combatants into the battle during Eelam war IV, Dr. Hiranthi Wijemanna said.
Testifying before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission headed by former Attorney General C. R. de Silva at the Kadirgamar Institute, Dr. Wijemanne said unfortunately demobilisation of children was not even an issue at the tripartite discussions between the government, LTTE and the UNICEF.
According to Dr. Wijemanna by 2002, 60 to 70 per cent of LTTE cadres were children below the age of 18.
"Had they been genuinely interested in a negotiated settlement, they would not have needed fresh recruits", she said.
Dr. Wijemann, the former Chairperson of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), who had the opportunity to visit the LTTE-held area during the CFA, said the despicable practice of child recruitment continued until the conclusion of the war in May last year. Since then not a single child had been abducted or forcibly recruited.
The LTTE had continued child recruitment until the final battle, she said.
Responding to a query by the Commission, Dr. Wijemanne said that the international community had simply pumped massive amounts of funds for various projects through the LTTE, though there was no evidence that either children or the ordinary people really benefited.
She said that the LTTE had been the major beneficiary of the funds made available by international donors, though the CFA was expected to bring relief to the ordinary people.
Dr. Wijemanne said that the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) had not been trained or equipped to rein in the LTTE.
Courtesy : President Media Unit