SLMM probes LTTE child recruitment

COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) told the Peace Secretariat yesterday that it had initiated an inquiry into allegations that the LTTE has demanded that every family living in areas controlled by it contributes at least one member to its activities.

The SCOPP also inquired about the widely-reported threat of the LTTE to attack economic targets and the SLMM agreed that this should be investigated.

SLMM and SCOPP agreed that child-recruitment was a serious issue and the SLMM mentioned two complaints of alleged LTTE child-recruitment in Mannar.

Muslim Peace Secretariat Director M. H. M. Salman raised concerns about the situation of the Muslim population and requested SLMM and the Government to work together on humanitarian and resettlement issues relating the community in the East.

He wanted the SLMM to clarify the status of the Muslim community vis-a-vis the Ceasefire Agreement.

The SLMM and the Government agreed it was a valid concern and both took the complaints of the Muslim communities very seriously. With regard to the bus explosion in Vavuniya on July 24, in which 11 soldiers died, the SLMM said it has began an investigation into the incident.

SLMM reiterated that CFA violations have increased and that it does not have the resources to issue reports relating to those violations.