Tamil civilians seek govt protection

To prevent child conscription

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: A large number of Tamil civilians, most with their underage children from uncleared areas in Vakarai, Batticaloa are taking refuge in Mankerni fearing conscription of their children by the LTTE, Military sources said yesterday.

According to Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, 69 Tamil civilians from 12 families who crossed over to the cleared areas on Saturday and Sunday in Mankerni seeking Security Forces' protection are housed at the Mankerni church and nearby houses. "The Army is providing them with dry rations," Brigadier Samarasinghe added.

According to military sources nine families crossed to the cleared areas on Saturday evening and three other families joined them on Sunday.

As of yesterday, 69 Tamil civilians with 16 girls and four boys, all below 18 years, were temporarily housed at Mankerni church by the Army, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said. Tamil civilians fleeing the LTTE areas have told the Security Forces that LTTE cadres in uncleared areas were continuously extorting them and forcing them to join the compulsory training for Makkal Padai civilian defence programme.

"The exodus commenced on Saturday night after some armed Tigers reportedly approached them and demanded their children for the LTTE since it was preparing for war," the MCNS said.

The civilian population in uncleared areas of Batticaloa had to undergo severe hardships as the LTTE had intensified child conscription as they face severe resistance from the Security Forces and the Police in their attempt to recruit children from the Government controlled areas in Batticaloa.

The LTTE even went on a terror campaign in Batticaloa by mercilessly killing children who defied their demands. As they failed to recruit enough people to their fighting cadres, the LTTE is giving weapons training for schoolchildren and civilians irrespective of age.