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| Sunday, 12 March 2006 |
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LTTE child draft denial: big humbug by Jayantha Sri Nissanka The LTTE has been told by the international community to demobilise all child soldiers after the UNICEF revealed stunning evidence that 1,358 children have been conscripted by the LTTE for combat training since January 31, 2006. Though the LTTE has denied such recruitment, two teenagers who escaped last Tuesday from Three Two Base LTTE training camp in Trincomalee revealed that there were more than 100 child soldiers undergoing extensive training. The LTTE has informed the Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar on some attacks on its cadres, Embassy sources said. Presidential Advisor Ajith Nivard Cabraal told the Sunday Observer yesterday that the Government was committed to uphold the joint statement and he expected the LTTE to follow suit. "We are treading on a difficult path. We have to be patient when isolated incidents occur and should have a close dialogue between the parties. These kind of incidents are not unusual. We have to reduce the trend of violence gradually", Cabraal observed. When told that attacks on the LTTE and Tiger training of child soldiers were, yet, continuing, Cabraal said though the two parties have signed the declaration, and the results cannot be expected overnight. Cabraal also said the LTTE cannot demobilise child soldiers overnight and also noted that attacks on the LTTE has reduced. "We need to adopt a `wait and see policy' for a short time until the dust settles". The Government has requested the SLMM to monitor the situation closely to bring normalcy in the North and East, he added. He noted that even after the Ceasefire Agreement was signed in 2002, minor violations were reported at the beginning but it gradually petered out. |
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