DATE=5/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249819
TITLE=LANKA/RECRUITMENT (L ONLY)
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN EARLY MAY, THE SRI LANKAN ARMY BEGAN A CAMPAIGN TO
RECRUIT MORE MINORITY TAMILS INTO THE ARMY. THE DRIVE HAS NOW
ENDED AND THE ARMY SAYS IT HAS RECEIVED VIRTUALLY NO RESPONSE
FROM THE MINORITY TAMIL COMMUNITY. VANDANA CHOPRA HAS THE
DETAILS FROM COLOMBO.
TEXT: MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY THE RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN WAS AIMED
AT CHANGING THE ETHNIC BALANCE OF THE FORCE. THE ARMY, LIKE SRI
LANKA ITSELF, IS PREDOMINANTLY SINHALESE BUDDHIST, AND TAMIL
TIGER REBELS ACCUSE THE SINHALESE OF DISCRIMINATING AGAINST THE
MINORITY TAMILS.
THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE ARMY'S DRIVE WAS AIMED AT RECRUITING TAMIL
YOUTH FROM THE NORTH AND EAST, AREAS FORMERLY CONTROLLED BY THE
REBELS BUT NOW CONTROLLED BY THE ARMY.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO RULES PREVENTING TAMILS FROM JOINING THE
SECURITY FORCES, VERY FEW HAVE JOINED OVER THE YEARS. MILITARY
OFFICIALS BLAMED THE POOR OUTCOME OF THE LATEST RECRUITMENT DRIVE
ON INTIMIDATION BY TIGER REBELS AGAINST TAMIL FAMILIES WHOSE SONS
MAY BE INTERESTED IN JOINING THE ARMY
THE ARMY SAYS IT NEEDS NEW RECRUITS TO CARRY OUT ITS WAR AGAINST
THE TIGER REBELS.
BUT EVEN WHEN IT GETS SOLDIERS INTO THE ARMY, THE MILITARY HAS A
HARD TIME KEEPING THEM. PART OF THE REASON FOR THE RECRUITMENT
DRIVE IS THAT THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS HAVE DESERTED. (SIGNED)
NEB/VC/LTD/KL
26-May-99 1:07 PM EDT (1707 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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