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UN resolutions ignored and LTTE child conscription continues
Tuesday, 1 March 2005 - 12:44 AM SL Time
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Barely a couple of hours after the UN Security Council called on the LTTE to renounce its continued conscription of children as LTTE soldiers, an irate mother of a seventeen-year old Tamil girl has assisted troops at the MUHAMALAI Entry/Exit point in order to rescue her child from LTTE grips while her daughter was being abducted on 25 February 2005 around 1.15 p.m.
The victim's mother, MAHENDRAN WASANTHI (42), after learning that LTTE men were preparing a forged identity card to alter her daughter's real age after she was abducted by LTTE, has provided a photo of her teenage daughter to the MUHAMALAI Entry/Exit point, MANIPAY Police station, Human Rights Office and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in JAFFNA., pleading them to help rescue her loved one.
Teenage girl's LTTE abductor, MAHALINGAM MANIVANNAN who was also arrested at the Entry/Exit point along with the girl, has gone on record saying to the Police that LTTE, within February (2005) month alone, has managed to abduct over 20 such minors and subsequently detained them under an LTTE woman cadre, named MADHAVEE at a transit in PALLAI before those minors were handed over to LTTE women's 'corps' at KILINOCHCHI or elsewhere for LTTE weapon training.
The victimized girl has allegedly fallen victim to LTTE when she approached KOKKUVIL, POTHPATHY LTTE office after she reportedly developed a personal dispute with an unknown party.
During her stay at the LTTE office on 23 February 2005, those LTTE men had duped the girl in question into believing that they (LTTE) were in the process of issuing a new Identity Card to her, similar to those being issued to JAFFNA residents.
Both teenage girl and the LTTE abductor were arrested by the Police at MUHAMALAI Entry/Exit while she was being abducted and handed over subsequently to the KODIKAMAM Police for further investigations.
The girl was to be handed over to her parents after necessary investigations were over.
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) was also to be intimated.
Name & particulars of the victim are withheld for obvious security reasons and questions of human rights. (SLArmywebsite)
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muralignshn
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 88
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1 Mar 2005 12:51:56 GMT Report for Abuse
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Even amidst this chaos and tragedy of the Tsunami, there are reports of killing and child conscription by the LTTE, one relating to three girls rescued by the police while being taken to the LTTE-controlled area at Omanthai. There is no doubt what will happen to many children in refugee camps where the LTTE has established control. While reports of a general nature on child conscription are in circulation, you can find specific incidents reported on: http://www.uthr.org/bulletins/Bul37.htm#BurnCamp Tamil people in Srilanka know that there is no change in the LTTE?s agenda.
Scores of Tamil professionals have flown into Sri Lanka at this critical time to offer relief to the victims. The world has responded generously. But all these would be wasted if we go back to the same political machinations, which condemned the vast majority in the country to an uncertain future. The same machinations helped a small elite to find greener pastures and thrive by feeding the hatreds and insecurity of those left behind.
The UN and other international agencies have a grave responsibility to ensure not only that the aid is distributed and reconstruction begins in earnest without any discrimination, but also to push for tangible steps towards reconciliation and movement towards a political solution. This cannot happen by superficial coordination alone, but by steps to create an environment for people to assert themselves, and through opportunities for their creative potential to bear fruit in the political and social arena.
The most critical question is whether the LTTE would release the children in its ranks and allow room for dissenting views.
(acknowledgment- UTHR(J*) report )
http://www.uthr.org/bulletins/Bul37.htm
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ravi_r
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 573
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1 Mar 2005 14:24:56 GMT Report for Abuse
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Well said Muralignshn. This is the point most of us have been attempting the highlight on this forum, the Tamil people deserve superior representation by people who care, not by those who abuse them. Had not the LTTE decimated all other political parties of Tamil origin, Tamils would have got their regional autonomy by now.
The sticking problem today is the resentment towards the LTTE and the total distrust of their intentions. They have followed the path of Khmer Rouge, suppressing descent and brutalizing anyone who oppose. Their demise should begin with people like Karuna if they wish to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The rest of the country is just doing fine, could do better if there is a settlement. But my heart goes to the Tamil population that is suffering at the hands of the LTTE.
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