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Tigers as devourers of the tsunami-orphaned

The Tigers are sinking their ravenous jaws into even tsunami-orphaned children. Today, many such children are being used as cannon fodder by the LTTE in their combat units, a US Government report on Child Labour has revealed.

This is added proof that the LTTE holds nothing sacred. Nor does it have even the slightest moral scruples. Following the tsunami devastation of December 2004, a substantial proportion of Sri Lanka was steeped in tragedy and despair. Thousands of lives were lost and a tremendous amount of public property and natural resources vandalized by the devastating tsunami waves.

While the rest of the country wept bitterly over the ineffable tragedy which had befallen it, the Tigers were on a stealthy prowl for those children who were orphaned by the terrible disaster. In other words, they were greedily hunting for helpless and defenceless children amid this sea of sorrow.

Trafficking in children became an LTTE speciality. They abducted the children or bought them off money-hungry slave traders.

All this goes to prove that the world cannot be slow-footed on these issues any longer. It is not news that the LTTE subjects children to a plethora of abuses by using them as child soldiers. In fact the Tigers bear a tremendous notoriety as child exploiters of the first order. The UN is fully aware of this reality and has taken issue with the LTTE over it.

The expectation of the peace-loving world was that the UN would crack the whip unhesitatingly on the Tigers and hold them accountable for their inhuman treatment of children. It is quite a few years since a UN rapporteur on this issue visited the North and spoke to the LTTE about it.

The world has waited with bated breath for UN action in this regard, but nothing by way of taking the Tigers to task has happened so far. Needless to say, this is most saddening. What it proves is that there are no international procedures of accountability on grave crimes such as the inhuman exploitation of children.

Humanity would be served well if the international community wakes up to the crime of child abuse in all its dimensions, including that of child soldiers. The LTTE is a notorious child abuser. This, international organisations such as the UN, know very well.

What is left to be done is to bring the LTTE to justice. This vital task cannot be postponed any longer if the international community is to be taken seriously when it says that it is outraged over the phenomenon of child abuse.

These renewed revelations over the LTTE's inhuman treatment of children, should remind the international community, particularly the major Western powers, that unless they bring exceptional pressure to bear on the LTTE, it is unlikely to cooperate with the Lankan Government in working towards a political solution. The Co Chairs in particular should regard these developments as a fresh eye-opener.

They must crack the whip on the LTTE and that too without further delay.

As for the State, it should lose no time in propagating among world publics the heinous nature of the LTTE. This is a fresh opportunity to unmask the Tigers fully.

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