Donors must address the imbalance in international assistance to the north and east of the country compared to the south, and increase investment in long-term development programs in Sri Lanka’s conflict-affected regions to preclude under age youth from seeking to join the Liberation Tigers, Refugees International said last week.
“It is undeniable that the war has in effect created two countries: the south, with its relative wealth and economic opportunity, and the north, where the landscape is harsh and there is little economic investment, RI said.
Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a child when volunteering for non-state militaries. For state militaries the age bar is 16, according to UN regulations.
“Many former combatants maintain that they volunteered [for the LTTE],” RI said.
But arguing that “in much of the LTTE controlled areas there is an all-pervasive environment of Tamil nationalism and political control,” the organisation said this “coupled with the lack of economic opportunity, suggests that physical intimidation and force are not always necessary to convince young adolescents to join the LTTE.”
An LTTE spokesperson interviewed by RI said adolescents continued to volunteer due to lack of economic opportunity in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.
The LTTE official was critical of the international aid agencies for failing to provide adequate livelihood and psycho-social activities for the 5,000 children that he claims have been demobilized, RI said.
The LTTE maintains that it is complying with its international commitments, first made in April 2003 in the Action Plan for Children Affected by War, to eliminate recruitment of child soldiers.
RI also said that “while prevention of child recruitment is an essential element to working with children affected by the conflict, it is also important to address simultaneously the reintegration of former combatants back into society.”
Many programs focus on vocational training and education. These are crucial elements to a successful reintegration but there are psycho-social and cultural issues that may also arise, RI said.
But RI warned that the assistance programmes themselves can fuel volunteers for the LTTE.
“We don’t want to see them rewarded for joining the LTTE. It might give them an incentive to join so they can benefit from leaving,” RI says it was told by one child group.
“Specialized attention can provide an incentive for families to allow recruitment and it can encourage the propaganda that serving with the LTTE will benefit you and your family,” RI said.
Nevertheless, RI is urging donors and agencies that provide programming for children impacted by the tsunami in Sri Lanka’s north and east expand programs to include children impacted by the war.
“It is undeniable that the war has in effect created two countries: the south, with its relative wealth and economic opportunity, and the north, where the landscape is harsh and there is little economic investment, RI said.
Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a child when volunteering for non-state militaries. For state militaries the age bar is 16, according to UN regulations.
“Many former combatants maintain that they volunteered [for the LTTE],” RI said.
But arguing that “in much of the LTTE controlled areas there is an all-pervasive environment of Tamil nationalism and political control,” the organisation said this “coupled with the lack of economic opportunity, suggests that physical intimidation and force are not always necessary to convince young adolescents to join the LTTE.”
An LTTE spokesperson interviewed by RI said adolescents continued to volunteer due to lack of economic opportunity in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.
The LTTE official was critical of the international aid agencies for failing to provide adequate livelihood and psycho-social activities for the 5,000 children that he claims have been demobilized, RI said.
The LTTE maintains that it is complying with its international commitments, first made in April 2003 in the Action Plan for Children Affected by War, to eliminate recruitment of child soldiers.
RI also said that “while prevention of child recruitment is an essential element to working with children affected by the conflict, it is also important to address simultaneously the reintegration of former combatants back into society.”
Many programs focus on vocational training and education. These are crucial elements to a successful reintegration but there are psycho-social and cultural issues that may also arise, RI said.
But RI warned that the assistance programmes themselves can fuel volunteers for the LTTE.
“We don’t want to see them rewarded for joining the LTTE. It might give them an incentive to join so they can benefit from leaving,” RI says it was told by one child group.
“Specialized attention can provide an incentive for families to allow recruitment and it can encourage the propaganda that serving with the LTTE will benefit you and your family,” RI said.
Nevertheless, RI is urging donors and agencies that provide programming for children impacted by the tsunami in Sri Lanka’s north and east expand programs to include children impacted by the war.
