Tamil civilians protest against LTTE conscription [20 Mar 2000] 

Around one thousand civilians living under the LTTE rule staged a demonstration in front of the LTTE Wanni headquarters at Pudukuduiruppu last Thursday denouncing the conscription of Tamil civilians by the LTTE hierarchy.  

The LTTE have been conscripting Tamil youth by force after threatening their families. The LTTE 'child brigade' that consists of children has been criticized all over the world, particularly by human rights groups.

  The Tamil civilians who staged Thursday's protest handed over a petition to the LTTE leadership.

  These innocent civilians, whose normal lifestyle has been disrupted by the war, had protested that they are being used to fight a war in the prime of their life, at a time when they could actively engage in some productive activity for their livelihood.

  They have also voiced their displeasure that their lives have been compromised, and demanded justice from the LTTE.

  The protest was launched due to the failure of the LTTE to respond to a memorandum they sent to the LTTE hierarchy through the ICRC.  

  Some civilians cross over to the military controlled areas in the night for safety. They have also expressed their fears to the ICRC about the possible loss of their property to the LTTE.

  The protest against the LTTE at a time when the civilians are busy gathering paddy harvest came soon before the Tigers assassinated a civilian laborer who had been harvesting paddy in a paddy field in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna.

  Among the LTTE strategies has been the prevention of civilians from collecting their harvest, in order to bring hardships to the people living within the government controlled areas. 

The harvest within the terrorist controlled areas is taken over by the Tigers.  

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