Child soldiers to be rehabilitated

Harshini PERERA

Around 800 children suspected of being child soldiers have been brought to four rehabilitation camps with Justice Ministry assistance, Child Development and Women Empowerment Minister Sumedha G. Jayasena said. Identified Tiger child soldiers were sent to temporary shelters in Vavuniya.

These children had been fighting after being forcibly conscripted by the LTTE, Minister Jayasena said.

She said several pre-schools in Manik farm have already started functioning for children under the age of five with pre-school teachers chosen from the displaced people who had experience with children.

IDP camps in Kadiragamarpura will also be equipped with pre-schools in the coming months. The Ministry has also taken measures to sew blue uniforms for children in camps instead of white, the Minister said.

The Ministry has also taken care of women and elderly by providing resource centres in IDP camps for recreation activities.