Lanka to UN Security Council: Child abduction allegations based on hearsay material

Sri Lanka told the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict on Friday that allegations that members of the Security Forces were directly or indirectly involved in child abductions carried out by the Karuna faction were based on superficial and unverified hearsay material and it would be unsafe for the Working Group to act on such unreliable material.

“As a responsible member of the international community, the Government has decided to adopt necessary measures to cause an independent and credible investigation into these allegations,” Sri Lanka’s Permanent representative to the UN Prasad Kariyawasam was quoted as saying according to a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The release said the Government is determined to enforce the rule of law without fear or favour against those who may be found to have been involved in child abductions. This was consistent with the government’s commitment to a negotiated and honourable end to the conflict.

The Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict met at the UN in New York to consider the reports of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict issues in Sri Lanka.

The government delegation comprised Ambassador Kariyawasam, C.R. de Silva, and Solicitor-General of Sri Lanka, Yasantha Kodagoda, Deputy Solicitor-General and Mission officials.

Both the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General, and Advisor to the Special Representative Ambassador Rock presenting a Report on his visit to Sri Lanka appealed to the Working Group to consider the imposition of targeted measures against the LTTE. Ambassador Rock also highlighted that going by UNICEF estimates, since 2001, the LTTE appeared to have recruited over 18,000 children as combatants. He also expressed regret that the commitment made to him by the LTTE leadership to cease child recruitment by January 1 2007 had not been honoured.

The Ambassador urged the Working Group to heed to the call of the Secretary-General and recommend to the Security Council, the adoption of targeted measures against the LTTE. Only such targeted measures will make the LTTE realize the futility of continuing to engage in this barbaric practice of following the path of violence and terrorism, and make them return to the negotiating table with a view to obtaining a political solution to the conflict.