Two youths abducted by LTTE doing hard labour, surrender to Army

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: Two youths who were forcibly abducted by the LTTE and employed on hard labour jobs for months to construct bunkers and ditch trenches in the uncleared areas in Welioya in Trincomalee, surrendered to the Army yesterday in Welioya.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe told the Daily News yesterday that the LTTE had kept these two youths for months against their wish and had deployed them on hard labour jobs.

The two youths surrendered to the Army in Welioya around 7.40 a.m. yesterday after escaping from the LTTE risking their life in face of the Tiger guns.

According to the Brigadier, one was a 17-year-old Tamil schoolboy a resident from Kurunegala - Mawathagama area.

"He had been abducted by the LTTE when he was on his way to visit his uncle in Puliyankulam about nine months ago. The LTTE kidnapped him and forcibly conscripted him into the organization", Brigadier added.

He has told the Army that he didn't have any intention of joining the LTTE as his only hope is to be with his parents, study and find employment.

The other youth who surrendered to the Army was a 21-year-old Burgher youth who is a resident of Trincomalee.

"He had been abducted by the LTTE three months earlier when he was on a pilgrimage to Madhu Church", the Brigadier added.

He too was forcibly conscripted against his wishes into the organization and was employed for hard labour by the LTTE to construct bunkers, dig trenches in Kokilai and Janakapura areas.

According to the Brigadier both youths during investigations have stated they have no desire to join the LTTE but were forcibly conscripted and forced into hard labour.

They complained that they were employed to work long hours in inclement weather on construction work with little food and living in the jungle.