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Child soldiers
Tiger 'no' but AI shows 26
By Faraza Farook
Twenty-six individual cases of child recruitment have been placed before the LTTE for clarification after its political wing leader S. P. Thamilchelvan denied recruitment of children under 18 years, Amnesty International said.

"We have a clear and definitive policy statement from the LTTE, but we continue to receive official complaints and individual cases from family members with regard to recruitment of children to the military service," AI delegation chief Derek Evans said yesterday.

Mr. Evans, a former deputy secretary general of the AI, said discussions with the LTTE covered recruitment of child soldiers, executions, disappearances, arbitrary detention, the return of internally displaced people, the peace process and other human rights concerns.

Mr. Evans said the LTTE's had assured again that no one under 18 would be recruited for military service.

He said that despite the assurance, the AI continued to receive complaints of cases of children under 18 being recruited for military service. He said 26 specific cases of children between the ages of 13-16 years had been presented to the LTTE for clarification. Mr. Evans said the LTTE had assured that the 26 cases would be investigated and a report given to the AI.

During talks with the Government, Mr. Evans said the AI had proposed that high priority be given for human rights issue when direct negotiations were held in Thailand. He said the AI had also called for an effective mechanism to monitor human rights and for a truth and reconciliation process here.

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