Secure the rights of N-E youngsters

The detection of an armed, teenage LTTE cadre in Batticaloa by the authorities offers incontrovertible evidence that the LTTE is continuing its inhuman practice of recruiting and deploying underage youngsters - its denials to the contrary notwithstanding.

Breaking out in the run up to the Government - LTTE ceasefire talks in Geneva, the incident merits careful noting by the international community, sections of which have been slow in criticising the LTTE for such glaring human rights abuses.

Besides the outrage committed on teenagers, the detection of the youngster, who is just fifteen, signifies that a LTTE recruitment drive targetting very young persons, has been in progress in gross violation of both local and international human rights regimes.

Such developments give credence to the view that even while they pay lip service to preserving the ceasefire and peace, the Tigers are only thinking of war.

The question, therefore, once again forces itself: how serious are the Tigers in going for ceasefire-strengthening talks?

Coming on the eve of the talks, fresh disclosures such as these of the disdain with which human rights considerations are held by the LTTE, should direct the attention of the international community to some of the substantive issues involved in strengthening the ceasefire. When we refer to the international community we specifically have in mind parties such as the Tokyo donor conference Co-Chairs, the SLMM and our peace facilitator.

In consideration of the continuing human rights violations by the LTTE, it is plain to see that the Tigers need to be compelled to observe their human rights commitments.

How could the seeds of peace be sown in the North-East if, for example, children are snatched from their homesteads and nurseries and brutalized into doing the bidding of the LTTE? Such actions signify an intention on the part of the Tigers to blight Tamil society even further, with no thought being spared for resolving the conflict by political means.

Government negotiators need to be alert all the time to these gruesome distortions in the North-East. They are obliged to demand complete compliance with human rights commitments by the Tigers if the ceasefire talks are to prove beneficial.

The problem with the CFA is that it has had no containing effect on the Tigers in regard to human rights abuses. Children and youngsters are continuing to be recruited to LTTE ranks, notwithstanding the ceasefire, while the State has been comparatively scrupulous in observing the provisions of the ceasefire. It is plain to see that the ceasefire cannot be strengthened unless and until the Tigers observe the ceasefire requirements in both word and spirit.

The enforcement of conduct promotive of human rights on the LTTE cannot wait for another day. The world community which knows fully well - inasmuch as the Lankan State does - the dire consequences of brutalizing the young, should insist on the LTTE rigidly following the law.