At the 8th meeting of the Security Council Working
Group on Children and Armed Conflict, held on 10 May 2007, in
connection with the consideration of the
Report of the Secretary General on children and armed conflict in
Sri Lanka (S/2006/1006), the Chairman of the Security council
Working Group on Children and Armed conflict made the following
statement on behalf of the Working Group:
“The Security Council Working Group on Children
and Armed Conflict,
Calls the attention of the leadership of the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the fact that on 20
December 2006, the Security Council has received
a report by the
Secretary General on children and armed conflict in Sri
Lanka (S/2006/1006), describing inter alia a continuous, ongoing
and even increasing pattern of abduction, recruitment and use of
children by the LTTE, in spite of previous commitments contained
in the Action Plan for children affected by war in March 2003,
Strongly condemns the
continuous
recruitment and use of child soldiers and all other violations
and abuses committed against children by the LTTE
Urges the leadership of LTTE:
1. To immediately
end the practice of abduction, recruitment and use of children
under the age of 18 and to separate them from their ranks, in
conformity with its obligations under the Action Plan of March
2003;
2. To immediately
engage in transparent procedures with UNICEF for release and
verification of demobilization of all children;
3. To immediately
cease the transfer of demobilized children to the Educational
Skills Development Centre and instead release them directly to
their families as stipulated in the Action Plan;
4. To cooperate
with UNICEF by sharing information and providing UNICEF
representatives with unimpeded access to LTTE military camps
with a view to putting an end to violations and abuses
perpetrated against children;
5. To recognize
and commit to maintaining the neutrality and security of
schools, hospitals and religious institutions as “safe zones” in
conflict-affected areas;
6. To provide
humanitarian actors, with immediate effect, with unimpeded and
safe access to all areas under its control;
Emphasizes that:
If in the coming
months, reporting by the Secretary General on the follow-up
given by LTTE to this message indicates significant progress,
the Working Group will look for continued progress in the
framework of the next regular report on the situation for
children and armed conflict in Sri Lanka,
If however, in the coming months, LTTE does not
respond positively to this message, or does not carry out its
commitments or abide by its obligations in accordance with
applicable international law and relevant Security Council
resolutions, including
SCR 1612 (2005), further steps may be taken.”
