Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06COLOMBO2107
2006-12-20 12:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: TIGERS APOLOGIZE FOR ABDUCTING 23
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 002107
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2016
TAGS: PTER PGOV MOPS PREL CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TIGERS APOLOGIZE FOR ABDUCTING 23
STUDENTS, RELEASE TO ICRC
REF: COLOMBO 2099 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROBERT O. BLAKE, JR. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 002107
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2016
TAGS: PTER PGOV MOPS PREL CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TIGERS APOLOGIZE FOR ABDUCTING 23
STUDENTS, RELEASE TO ICRC
REF: COLOMBO 2099 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROBERT O. BLAKE, JR. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) Summary: The "Tamil Tigers" (LTTE) apologized late
December 19 for the December 18 "mistaken recruitment" of 23
students from a private tutorial center in Thirukovil,
Ampara, releasing the abductees to the International
Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) that evening.
Humanitarian interlocutors speculated that the LTTE
anticipated an outcry over the highly publicized December 18
forced recruitment, and would like to be seen as abiding by
their own "Child Protection Act," passed by the de-facto
legislature in October. The Tigers' quick apology and
release of the children is unlikely to represent a real
change in policy on the use of child soldiers. End Summary.
Blame Karuna? Not So Fast
--------------
2. (C) The "Tamil Tigers" (LTTE) apologized late December 19
for the December 18 "mistaken recruitment" of 23 students
from a private tutorial center in Thirukovil, Ampara,
releasing the abductees to the International Committee for
the Red Cross (ICRC) that evening. The Government of Sri
Lanka (GSL) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had
decried the abductions of the 16 and 17 year olds and their
two teachers. Several of our interlocutors had blamed the
LTTE-breakaway Karuna faction for the disappearances
(reftel).
Tiger Child Protection Act
--------------
3. (C) On October 16, the "Tamil Eelam Legislature," the
de-facto judiciary in the LTTE-controlled Vanni, passed a
"Child Protection Act" making education compulsory through
grade 11 and outlawing the recruitment of children under 17
and participation in combat for children under 18. A
December 20 press release published on the LTTE's "Peace
Secretariat" website declared that the 23 students had
SIPDIS
"expressed willingness" to join the organization before being
transported to an LTTE training base in Ampara on the night
of December 18. When the LTTE Commander in the area
discovered that many of the youths were underage he
"immediately ordered the release of the entire batch" and
sought expulsion from the organization of the LTTE cadres
involved in the recruitment. On November 22, the LTTE
released to the ICRC 22 minors they claimed had lied about
their ages in order to join the LTTE.
Public Relations Move?
--------------
4. (C) UNICEF Protection Officer Andy Brook told pol FSN
December 20 that he would go to the site in Thirukovil to
inquire whether the students had indeed "volunteered" to join
the Tigers. The Ampara district desk officer for the
Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA),an umbrella group
for NGOs, contended that due to poverty and a scarcity of
food in the north and east, many youths voluntarily join the
LTTE for daily meals and shelter.
5. (C) Several of our interlocutors were quick to blame the
LTTE-breakaway Karuna faction for the disappearances
COLOMBO 00002107 002 OF 002
(reftel). The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (HRC)
coordinator for Ampara told pol FSN December 20: "The Karuna
group recruits more actively in the Ampara and Batticaloa
districts, and we are surprised that the LTTE carried out
this particular abduction." She speculated that the LTTE
anticipated an outcry over the highly publicized December 18
forced recruitment, and "would like to be seen as abiding by
their legislature's Child Protection Act."
Listening to Rock
--------------
6. (C) COMMENT: This case is unusual in that the LTTE almost
immediately declared their "mistake" by acknowledging the
recruitment and releasing the children and their teachers.
It may represent an attempt to improve the Tigers' public
image after an October 30 report by United Nations Special
Advisor for Children in Armed Conflict Alan Rock found the
LTTE to be still actively recruiting children despite the
prohibition of underage recruitment in the 2002 Ceasefire
Agreement. The move is less likely to represent a Tigers'
change of heart on the use of child soldiers.
BLAKE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2016
TAGS: PTER PGOV MOPS PREL CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TIGERS APOLOGIZE FOR ABDUCTING 23
STUDENTS, RELEASE TO ICRC
REF: COLOMBO 2099 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROBERT O. BLAKE, JR. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) Summary: The "Tamil Tigers" (LTTE) apologized late
December 19 for the December 18 "mistaken recruitment" of 23
students from a private tutorial center in Thirukovil,
Ampara, releasing the abductees to the International
Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) that evening.
Humanitarian interlocutors speculated that the LTTE
anticipated an outcry over the highly publicized December 18
forced recruitment, and would like to be seen as abiding by
their own "Child Protection Act," passed by the de-facto
legislature in October. The Tigers' quick apology and
release of the children is unlikely to represent a real
change in policy on the use of child soldiers. End Summary.
Blame Karuna? Not So Fast
--------------
2. (C) The "Tamil Tigers" (LTTE) apologized late December 19
for the December 18 "mistaken recruitment" of 23 students
from a private tutorial center in Thirukovil, Ampara,
releasing the abductees to the International Committee for
the Red Cross (ICRC) that evening. The Government of Sri
Lanka (GSL) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had
decried the abductions of the 16 and 17 year olds and their
two teachers. Several of our interlocutors had blamed the
LTTE-breakaway Karuna faction for the disappearances
(reftel).
Tiger Child Protection Act
--------------
3. (C) On October 16, the "Tamil Eelam Legislature," the
de-facto judiciary in the LTTE-controlled Vanni, passed a
"Child Protection Act" making education compulsory through
grade 11 and outlawing the recruitment of children under 17
and participation in combat for children under 18. A
December 20 press release published on the LTTE's "Peace
Secretariat" website declared that the 23 students had
SIPDIS
"expressed willingness" to join the organization before being
transported to an LTTE training base in Ampara on the night
of December 18. When the LTTE Commander in the area
discovered that many of the youths were underage he
"immediately ordered the release of the entire batch" and
sought expulsion from the organization of the LTTE cadres
involved in the recruitment. On November 22, the LTTE
released to the ICRC 22 minors they claimed had lied about
their ages in order to join the LTTE.
Public Relations Move?
--------------
4. (C) UNICEF Protection Officer Andy Brook told pol FSN
December 20 that he would go to the site in Thirukovil to
inquire whether the students had indeed "volunteered" to join
the Tigers. The Ampara district desk officer for the
Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA),an umbrella group
for NGOs, contended that due to poverty and a scarcity of
food in the north and east, many youths voluntarily join the
LTTE for daily meals and shelter.
5. (C) Several of our interlocutors were quick to blame the
LTTE-breakaway Karuna faction for the disappearances
COLOMBO 00002107 002 OF 002
(reftel). The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (HRC)
coordinator for Ampara told pol FSN December 20: "The Karuna
group recruits more actively in the Ampara and Batticaloa
districts, and we are surprised that the LTTE carried out
this particular abduction." She speculated that the LTTE
anticipated an outcry over the highly publicized December 18
forced recruitment, and "would like to be seen as abiding by
their legislature's Child Protection Act."
Listening to Rock
--------------
6. (C) COMMENT: This case is unusual in that the LTTE almost
immediately declared their "mistake" by acknowledging the
recruitment and releasing the children and their teachers.
It may represent an attempt to improve the Tigers' public
image after an October 30 report by United Nations Special
Advisor for Children in Armed Conflict Alan Rock found the
LTTE to be still actively recruiting children despite the
prohibition of underage recruitment in the 2002 Ceasefire
Agreement. The move is less likely to represent a Tigers'
change of heart on the use of child soldiers.
BLAKE