Communiqué from the Presidential Secretariat
[Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 11.45 GMT]

Ambassador Allan Rock, Special Advisor to the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict called on H.E. the President on 13 November 2006
having concluded his ten-day mission in Sri Lanka. He thanked the Government of Sri Lanka for facilitating his mission, including unhindered access to all areas.

Ambassador Allan Rock brought to the attention of President Rajapaksa certain allegations of some elements of the security forces supporting the
abduction and forced recruitment of children by the Karuna faction.

In response, the President said that if there is credible evidence of such incidents he would have them investigated. Ambassador Rock expressed his
appreciation to the President for his response.

During Ambassador Allan Rock’s visit to Sri Lanka, the government provided him with unhindered access to all areas and facilitated meetings with a cross-section of government actors, as part of its long-standing policy of openness and constructive engagement with UN Human Rights Mechanisms. The government regrets however that certain conclusions that Ambassador Rock has made public have led to many distorted media reports, as opposed to the government’s long-standing zero-tolerance policy on the recruitment of
children as combatants.

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Last Updated Date: November 14, 2006 -11.45 GMT