Developments in Sri Lanka

The ceasefire agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been seriously hampered by heightened levels of violence. Since early December 2005, violence has escalated dramatically, including military confrontations in the north and east; suicide bombings and claymore mine attacks in all parts of the country; and increased death and injury of civilians. On 29 May 2006, the Council of the European Union added LTTE to the Union’s list of terrorist organizations.

From 1 November 2005 to 30 September 2006, UNICEF received reports of 513 children recruited or re-recruited by LTTE. These figures only represent the number of cases reported to UNICEF, and there were indications that the prevailing security situation might be deterring families from reporting cases. The overlap between children recorded on the UNICEF database and children who left LTTE (released, ran away or returned home) is approximately 36 per cent, suggesting that UNICEF figures reflect approximately one third of total cases of recruitment. On the basis of cases reported to UNICEF, the average age of child recruits during this period was 16 years. Some 68 per cent of recruits were boys and 32 per cent were girls.

Concerns have also been expressed regarding the civil defence training provided by LTTE to civilian communities throughout the north and east. UNICEF received reports of children as young as 16 years being included in the training programmes. School principals and teachers were also required to attend, affecting children’s schooling.

As at 30 September 2006, UNICEF had received 128 reports of children being recruited by the Karuna faction. In the space of one week in mid-June, UNICEF received 30 reports alleging that children had been abducted by the Karuna faction in the areas of Santhiveli, Kiran, Mankerni, Valachchenai and Iruthayapuram (Manmunai North). Only boys were taken. All of the cases involved forced recruitment and abduction, in some cases by armed men who openly identified themselves as members of the Karuna faction.

Bombing raids were conducted by the Sri Lankan air force against LTTE positions as part of retaliatory actions of a limited duration, causing death and injury to children.

In Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts, school attendance rates have decreased in many places because of fear of recruitment and the general security situation. Schools are also being occupied by internally displaced persons and damaged by air and artillery attacks by fighting forces.

The escalation in violence since July 2006 has curtailed access to civilians affected by the conflict in the north and east of Sri Lanka, restricting the delivery of humanitarian assistance and raising concerns about the security of humanitarian personnel, especially after the killing of 17 aid workers from the French non-governmental organization, Action Against Hunger, on 5 August 2006 in Trincomalee. Further, as at 30 September 2006, according to UNHCR, 209,672 people (56,739 families) had been displaced since 7 April 2006 owing to the rapid escalation of the conflict. The vast majority of the displacement has occurred since August 2006 in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts, affecting thousands of children.

A task force on monitoring and reporting on child’s rights violations within the framework of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) has been established in Sri Lanka. The inaugural meeting of the task force was held on 26 July 2006.

Parties in Sri Lanka

Karuna faction

This party has also been responsible for abducting children in the reporting period.

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

This party has also been responsible for abducting children in the reporting period.

Press Release by the Special Representative:

* Information based on the 2006 report of the Secretary General to the Security Council (A/61/529-S/2006/826) issued on 26 October 2006