DATE=5/31/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250027
TITLE=LANKA/SOLDIERS (L)
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP -- AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL -- HAS
ACCUSED TAMIL REBELS OF FORCIBLY RECRUITING CHILD SOLDIERS TO
FIGHT AGAINST GOVERNMENT TROOPS. VANDANA CHOPRA REPORTS FROM
COLOMBO.
TEXT: HUMAN RIGHTS WATCHDOG "AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL" SAYS TAMIL
TIGER GUERRILLAS ARE RECRUITING CHILD COMBATANTS AS YOUNG AS
14-YEARS -- DESPITE ASSURANCES THEY WOULD STOP MADE LAST YEAR TO
U-N SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT OLARA
OTUNU.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SAYS TIGER SEPARATISTS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED
RECRUITING CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 17 AND DEPLOYING IN COMBAT
THOSE UNDER 18, BUT ARE NOW VIOLATING THE AGREEMENT.
IN A LEAFLET TITLED "WAR GAMES IN PARADISE -- CHILD SOLDIERS IN
SRI LANKA", AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SAYS TIGER GUERRILLAS STEPPED
UP RECRUITMENT OF CHILD SOLDIERS LATE LAST YEAR AFTER SUFFERING
HEAVY CASUALTIES AT THE BATTLEFRONT.
THOUSANDS OF GOVERNMENT TROOPS AND REBELS WERE REPORTED KILLED IN
HEAVY FIGHTING LAST YEAR BEFORE THE MILITARY CALLED OFF A
CAMPAIGN TO CAPTURE A KEY NORTHERN HIGHWAY. ONLY SPORADIC
FIGHTING HAS BEEN REPORTED SINCE THEN.
AMNESTY SAYS PARENTS OF CHILD RECRUITS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK TO
THEIR CHILDREN, BUT ONLY SEE THEM FROM A DISTANCE.
THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE REACTION TO AMNESTY'S REPORT FROM THE
TAMIL REBELS.
THE REBELS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING A WAR FOR A SEPARATE HOMELAND FOR
THE MINORITY TAMIL COMMUNITY IN SRI LANKA'S NORTH AND EAST FOR
15-YEARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/VC/RAE
31-May-99 9:23 AM EDT (1323 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
