Courtesy: Daily News
TMVP Leader MP Vinayagamoorthi Muralidharan said yesterday that the Government would put an end to the child soldiers' issue in the Eastern Province within the next three months under a joint agreement signed by the Government, UNICEF and the TMVP.
"According to the agreement, we have to finish the entire task of rehabilitating child soldiers within three months. We have already done a lot for the welfare of these children," he told a media briefing at the Parliamentary complex.
Muralidharan said the TMVP handed over 14 underage cadres to the new Child Welfare Office opened in Batticaloa on Thursday. The TMVP will hand over another 20 cadres within the next two weeks.
The TMVP does not have any child soldiers at present.
The TMVP in collaboration with the Government and the UNICEF has arranged a rehabilitation program for the welfare of these children. A new Child Welfare Office was also opened in the Government Agents office, Batticaloa for the welfare of these children. After these children are rehabilitated, they can join the Army, go abroad or join the society, he said.
Muralidharan said: "The TMVP does not have any of its own Armed Force as the Government has provided adequate security to all TMVP representatives. Earlier we had a small force of our own security."
The TMVP is working closely with the Government and the UNICEF to rehabilitate the children. The Government has done much for the welfare of these children. In addition, UNICEF has also arranged a series of programs for the benefit of these children, he said.
UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka Philippe Duamelle said the Government and the TMVP has made a firm commitment to put an end to the child soldier issue.
Concrete action has been taken on this issue under the new agreement signed on December 7 last year, Duamelle said.
"The TMVP releasing 14 children has shown its utmost commitment to pursue this effort. The needs of all children will be identified while they will be given assistance. Our final objective is to make collaborative efforts which would enable Sri Lanka to turn the number of child soldiers to zero point very soon," he said.
"We call upon the LTTE to meet their responsibility and guarantee the lives of the civilians. It is important to give their due childhood to the children," he added.
Meanwhile, Judicial Reforms Secretary Suhada Gamlath said the Government expects to ensure the well-being of child soldiers in the East through the newly set-up child rehabilitation centre in Batticaloa.
The program will be carried out with the help of the UNICEF and the TMVP. Recruiting children for military operations is a major offensive and children who have been forcibly taken for combat will be rehabilitated and handed over to their parents through this program, he said.
The Government is totally against children being recruited for combat.
"We have already rehabilitated 100 children in the East and they are with their parents now," he said.
According to the agreement, all child soldiers in the East will be rehabilitated within one year. This move is being implemented under the patronage of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. He has supported this project which will conclude in one year.
Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has issued a gazette notification to ensure the well-being of child soldiers and direct them for rehabilitation. The program is being implemented under the supervision of the judiciary following international standards
