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Back to school for freed child-soldiers
By N. Dilshath Banu
Children who are caught up in the armed conflict, have once again the opportunity to enjoy school or do a job, as more than 1000 child-soldiers have been released with the number expected to increase, said Mr. Geoffrey Keele, UNICEF's Media Relations Officer.

Over 300 child-soldiers were formally handed over to UNICEF and eight of them, who had been in the LTTE for a long time have been transferred to the Transition Centre in Kilinochchi. while the others have been sent home.

UNICEF tries to get such children back to school and provide vocational training for those who want to find jobs. But most importantly, UNICEF has established a system to provide counseling and psychological support to the children who are in need.

More than physical injuries, the psychological effects cause much damage to children in armed conflict. They suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, which will in the long term affect the life style and development of those children.

"The LTTE released a whole bunch of child-soldiers and may be they will continue to contribute more releases" said Mr. Keele, adding " this is a very positive situation and we would like to see this continuing"

Despite the two year old ceasefire there are still many more children suffering the effects of the twenty-year-old conflict. It is estimated that 50,000 children in the affected areas are out of school, around 14,000 have been displaced from their homes while landmines have killed and maimed many children.

In the North and the East, there is a serious insufficiency of education and health services. This leads many children to join the LTTE, as that is the only option for their future.

UNICEF has requested the LTTE to refer back to the parents - who should contact UNICEF - if anybody under 18 volunteers to join the LTTE. " But no child under 18 should be accepted in the organization even as a volunteer" said Mr. Keele.

However he said that UNICEF cannot stop the LTTE re-recruiting child soldiers. What UNICEF could do is to meet with the released children and register them so that UNICEF would identify the children. If these children were tempted to rejoin the LTTE then UNICEF would negotiate with the LTTE on behalf of the children and get them released.

UNICEF has also asked the LTTE to formally sign a letter stating that the released child soldiers would not be re-recruited.

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