LTTE child soldiers allowed to exchange letters with parents

Hundreds of surrendered LTTE child soldiers, who are being kept in various welfare camps in Vavuniya, have been allowed to exchange letters and telephone calls with their parents, a top commander said.
     
"We have started allowing them to exchange letters with their parents, though they are yet not permitted to interact with them directly," Competent Authority for the IDPs Major General GA Chandrasiri said.
     
Talking to an Indian convoy led by High Commissioner Alok Prasad, Chandrasiri said the former child soldiers could also talk to their family members over phone.

"We are also in the process of commencing vocational programmes for them and providing overseas jobs to the trained ones," he told the convoy on his way to inspect an Indian hospital for IDPs in Vavuniya.
     
"Many child soldiers have been identified from various welfare centres in Vavuniya," National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) Chairman Jagath Wellawaththa said.

The children have forcibly been recruited by the LTTE for military activities against the government forces during the war period, Wellawaththa said.

He said a batch of LTTE child soldiers, including girls, were found from various welfare centres in Vavuniya and they will be sent to the selected rehabilitation centers as soon as they are produced in courts.
     
Sri Lanka government is currently rehabilitating the child soldiers at four rehabilitation centres across the country.
     
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said it will continue to facilitate the remaining LTTE cadres to surrender to Sri Lanka's law enforcement authorities.
     
"If contacted by such a person (wishing to surrender), the ICRC would pass on the information to the police or the security forces, after noting personal data to ensure an individual follow-up of the person surrendering," the ICRC said in a report.

Following an agreement with the authorities, the ICRC has visited more than 5,000 people, who were linked with Tamil Tigers, and many of them handed over themselves to the authorities, it said, adding they are kept in various rehabilitation centers.