Hailing the decline in the number of youths under 18 being recruited by the Liberation Tigers, the UN child rights agency UNICEF, also called on both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government to give top priority at the upcoming talks in Geneva to the protection of children affected by the conflict.
UNICEF called on both sides to reaffirm their commitment to the ceasefire agreement and “to ensure that the protection of children affected by the crisis is at the center of the upcoming talks in Geneva.”
“Recruitment of children has been reduced and the average age of recruitment has increased from 14 to 16 over the past four years,” UNICEF representative in Sri Lanka JoAnna VanGerpen said in a statement.
“[However] recruitment of even one child is unacceptable according to the Convention of the Rights of the Child,” she said.
The UN agency deems anyone under the age of 18 a child in terms of recruitment, and is critical of many states, including the United States and United Kingdom who recruit from the age of 16 for their militaries.
“While recruitment of children in the last six months declined to an average of 43 a month, only 79 children were released and reunited with their families during the same period,” VanGerpen said.
UNICEF representatives raised these issues at a meeting with the Liberation Tigers Sunday last week. The meeting was held with the LTTE’s newly formed Child Protection Unit (CPU) at the LTTE Peace Secretariat building in Kilinochchi.
The Peace Secretarial recently created the three-member CPU to serve as the primary liason and to co-ordinate activities with UNICEF.
Both delegations acknowledged and appreciated the commitment shown by the other party in the protecting the rights of children.
LTTE delegation pointed to the some contradictions in UN instruments that deal with age limits of youths allowed to join State and armed-groups for military training and combat, and raised the issue of resources for LTTE’s administrative (non-military) sector.
The organisation said that children who volunteered and had hidden their true age were handed over once they were identified.
Last Sunday’s meeting was attended by Mr Sudar (Child Rights Lawyer from Tamileealam Justice Department), Mr Ilanthirayan (CPU) and Ms Geetha (CPU and Gender Committee), Mr Puleedevan (Secretary General of LTTE Peace Secretariat), and Mr Thiagaraja (UN and INGO Coordinator).
Ms Penny Brune (Head of Kilinochchi Zonal Office), Mr William Kollie (Child Protection Officer, Colombo), and Ms Stina Carrlson (Child Protection Officer, Kilinochchi) represented UNICEF in the meeting.
At the meeting, the LTTE announced the release of 28 under-age recruit, saying eight children were released directly to their parents while the others left to join a “skills development” programme last month.
UNICEF called on both sides to reaffirm their commitment to the ceasefire agreement and “to ensure that the protection of children affected by the crisis is at the center of the upcoming talks in Geneva.”
“Recruitment of children has been reduced and the average age of recruitment has increased from 14 to 16 over the past four years,” UNICEF representative in Sri Lanka JoAnna VanGerpen said in a statement.
“[However] recruitment of even one child is unacceptable according to the Convention of the Rights of the Child,” she said.
The UN agency deems anyone under the age of 18 a child in terms of recruitment, and is critical of many states, including the United States and United Kingdom who recruit from the age of 16 for their militaries.
“While recruitment of children in the last six months declined to an average of 43 a month, only 79 children were released and reunited with their families during the same period,” VanGerpen said.
UNICEF representatives raised these issues at a meeting with the Liberation Tigers Sunday last week. The meeting was held with the LTTE’s newly formed Child Protection Unit (CPU) at the LTTE Peace Secretariat building in Kilinochchi.
The Peace Secretarial recently created the three-member CPU to serve as the primary liason and to co-ordinate activities with UNICEF.
Both delegations acknowledged and appreciated the commitment shown by the other party in the protecting the rights of children.
LTTE delegation pointed to the some contradictions in UN instruments that deal with age limits of youths allowed to join State and armed-groups for military training and combat, and raised the issue of resources for LTTE’s administrative (non-military) sector.
The organisation said that children who volunteered and had hidden their true age were handed over once they were identified.
Last Sunday’s meeting was attended by Mr Sudar (Child Rights Lawyer from Tamileealam Justice Department), Mr Ilanthirayan (CPU) and Ms Geetha (CPU and Gender Committee), Mr Puleedevan (Secretary General of LTTE Peace Secretariat), and Mr Thiagaraja (UN and INGO Coordinator).
Ms Penny Brune (Head of Kilinochchi Zonal Office), Mr William Kollie (Child Protection Officer, Colombo), and Ms Stina Carrlson (Child Protection Officer, Kilinochchi) represented UNICEF in the meeting.
At the meeting, the LTTE announced the release of 28 under-age recruit, saying eight children were released directly to their parents while the others left to join a “skills development” programme last month.
