LTTE targets more families for conscription

Those seeking higher education told to give brother/sister to Tigers:

RANIL WIJAYAPALA in Omanthai

The LTTE, the self-claimed sole representative of the Tamil people in the North-East has imposed yet another restriction on Tamil youth in the Vanni to curtail their university education by making it compulsory for one of their family members to join the Tiger outfit, for them to proceed to their respective universities to continue university education.

Over 12 university students who crossed the Omanthai entry exit point for the first time after the escalation of violence on August 11, last year, have revealed those facts to the Security Forces, within the past few days.

Lt. Col. Jaya Pathirana, the Commandant In-charge of the Omanthai Entry Exit Point told the Daily News that 12 university students from Colombo, Ruhunu and Jaffna Universities crossed to cleared areas on Monday after receiving clearance from the LTTE after surrendering one of their family members to the LTTE.

"Two youth, a brother and a sister from the same family arrived in Omanthai surrendering one of their brothers to the LTTE to continue their university education in the University of Ruhunu and Jaffna respectively," he said.

Apart from this, according to the information revealed by these undergraduates, they also had to undergo basic weapons training to obtain clearance from the LTTE political offices, to proceed to their respective universities.

"This is the first time, the Security Forces came to know about this procedure," Lt. Col. added.

However, the Security Forces could not divulge the identity of those undergraduates, fearing their personnel security. Earlier, the LTTE has made it compulsory to surrender one member from each family for the Tiger outfit, and due to severe shortage of manpower they are now facing in the Vanni, this number has been increased to two.