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Home Human Rights & Humanitarian Law > Humanitarian Laws of Armed Conflict > Child Soldiers and the Law > Children and Armed Conflict in Sri Lanka: Politics, Human Rights & the Law  > Statement by the Chairman of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, 11 May 2007

Children and Armed Conflict in Sri Lanka:
Politics, Human Rights & the Law

Statement by the Chairman of the Security Council Working Group
on Children and Armed Conflict, 11 May 2007
 


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.�

 

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