Lankan troops 'abducting children' from refuge camp

(May 21, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Conflict-affected children living in refuge camps are being abducted by Lankan paramilitary troops who enjoy support of the government, an international human rights group has claimed.

Child Soldiers Coalition, a UK-based NGO, claims to have verified reports of disappearances in the Vavuniya area and is calling for the United Nations to investigate the matter.

Denying the allegations, however, a Lankan military spokesman said the children were child soldiers of the LTTE and were taken in for questioning.

Though there was no statement on the matter by the Sri Lankan government, it has agreed to the visit of envoys to probe the charges as well as other cases of abuse against children.

Victoria Forbes Adam, the director of the Coalition, has urged that the Lankan government provide necessary support for carrying out the investigations, which will then be submitted to the UNSC.

The Coalition claims to have received verified reports of abductions of under-18s from camps in Vavuniya, as well as recruitment and re-recruitment of children by paramilitary groups in the eastern districts of Batticaloa and Trincomalee.

Tens of thousands of unaccompanied children have fled the conflict zone in the north. Without adequate protection, these traumatised and under-nourished children are vulnerable to abduction and other human rights abuses, the Coalition said.

The government has made little progress in establishing procedures for tracing and reunifying unaccompanied and separated children with their families.

-Sri Lanka Guardian