Defence spokseman challenges Rock on child abduction claims

Rafik JALALDEEN

COLOMBO: Government Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday challenged the remark by UN Special Rapporteur on Child Soldiers Alan Rock that he would come up with evidence in two months to prove the Security Forces were conniving in child abductions, saying that the LTTE's self admission in the abduction of 24 OL students clearly showed who the perpetrators were.

The international community now have proof and strong evidence that the LTTE was recruiting child soldiers. The Rapporteur of UN on Child Soldiers in Conflict Allan Rock blamed the Government Security Forces for conniving with in the recruitment of child soldiers and vowed to provide evidence within two months.

"We are ready to provide credible evidence within the next 12 hours to prove how the LTTE is recruiting child soldiers. The interviews and details will be available from the 15 students released by the LTTE," Rambukwella said.

The Minister said the SLMM and INGO's have still not responded on the abduction. Even after the LTTE released the students, the SLMM announced that they are still probing who was behind the abduction even after the parents lodged complaint on the abductions.

Earlier, the SLMM blamed the Government that they were not allowed to visit Somadevi school. "It is a pure lie on the part of the SLMM. The Security Forces couldn't give a guarantee for the safety of SLMM members who try to venture into an area as artillery shells were fired by the LTTE. If they could reach Kadirvely why cannot they go to the Somadevi school."