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The European Union remains deeply concerned about the situation
of children affected by armed conflict in Sri Lanka.
The EU stresses the need to protect children in all circumstances.
It is especially important during armed conflicts where children, as
the most vulnerable group of all, often fall victims of grave human
rights violations.
The deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in Sri
Lanka has left children in a growingly insecure situation. The
recruitment of children to hostilities has continued as have
abductions of children from their families in order to recruit them,
both of which are in violation of applicable international law.
The European Union urges the LTTE to immediately cease the
deplorable and inhumane practice of recruiting child soldiers, and
release any children recruited in that manner without delay. The
European Union is also deeply concerned that the Karuna group is
also abducting children, that this is taking place in areas under
the government's control, and reports that government security
forces are involved. It urges the Government of Sri Lanka to take
immediate steps to release all children being held by the Karuna
group, and immediately commence credible investigations of the
alleged involvements of certain elements of government security
forces, and bring to justice those responsible for these crimes.
The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries
Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the
Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential
candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia,
and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic
Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align
themselves with this declaration."
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to
be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process
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