Monitors’ move to Colombo put children of North in danger - Minister Rambukwella
[Thursday, January 04, 2007 - 8.30 GMT]  

Minister Keheliya Rambukwella says the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has suddenly closed down 7 of their offices in the North and East and moved to Colombo making it impossible to even to lodge a complaint against LTTE violations of the Ceasefire Agreement.   

The Minister pointed out that the SLMM withdrawal in this manner will intensify LTTE child abductions and warned it could be the start of a process of further endangering the lives of children of those areas.               
The Minister who expressed these views at a media briefing held at the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) and said that the LTTE that is short of cadres will increase abductions.

Although the Monitors of the closed office say that they will monitor the situation from Colombo 'we cannot expect positive results', the Minister said. 

The LTTE which had abducted a group of students who were preparing for GCE (O/L) recently has asked them to join the LTTE after the examination.  

The Minister also said that despite LTTE threats the number of child soldiers defecting to government controlled areas due to unbearable torture and harassment was daily increasing. Yesterday three child recruits 17 to 18 had surrendered to Trikonamadu army camp in Batticaloa and said they were forcibly taken and given military training to the LTTE.  

In addition to child recruits a group of 31 persons, 17 males and 14 females, also came to the refugee camp at Kajuwatte yesterday; there were 4 girls and 5 boys among them, the Minister said.

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Last Updated Date: January 04, 2007 - 8.30 GMT