Saturday, January 24, 2009

Solution to EP child soldiers' issue - TMVP Leader

TMVP head MP Vinayagamoorthi Muralidharan said yesterday that the Government would put an end to the child soldiers' subject in the Eastern Province within the next three months under a joint accord signed by the Government, UNICEF and the TMVP.
"According to the accord, we have to finish the whole task of rehabilitating child military within three months. We have already done a lot for the wellbeing of these children," he told a media meeting at the Parliamentary multifaceted.
Muralidharan said the TMVP handed over 14 underage cadres to the new Child wellbeing Office opened in Batticaloa on Thursday. The TMVP will hand over one more 20 cadres within the next two weeks.
The TMVP does not have any child soldiers at there.
The TMVP in teamwork with the Government and the UNICEF has set a rehabilitation program for the wellbeing of these children. A new Child wellbeing Office was also opened in the Government Agents office, Batticaloa for the welfare of these children. After these children are reformed, they can join the Army, go abroad or join the society, he said.
Muralidharan said: "The TMVP does not have any of its own Armed Force as the Government has provided sufficient security to all TMVP representatives. previous we had a small force of our own security."
The TMVP is working intimately with the Government and the UNICEF to restore the children. The Government has done much for the wellbeing of these children. In adding, UNICEF has also set a series of programs for the advantage of these children, he said.
UNICEF envoy in Sri Lanka Philippe Duamelle said the Government and the TMVP has made a firm promise to put an end to the child soldier subject.
Concrete act has been taken on this issue under the new accord signed on December 7 last year, Duamelle said.
"The TMVP releasing 14 children has shown its greatest commitment to follow this effort. The needs of all children will be recognized while they will be given help. Our final object is to make joint efforts which would enable Sri Lanka to turn the number of child soldiers to zero tip very soon," he said.
"We call upon the LTTE to meet their blame and assurance the lives of the civilians. It is significant to give their due early days to the children," he additional.
Meanwhile, legal Reforms Secretary Suhada Gamlath said the Government expects to ensure the well-being of child soldiers in the East from side to side the newly set-up child treatment centre in Batticaloa.
The agenda will be approved out with the help of the UNICEF and the TMVP. Recruiting children for military operations is a major unpleasant and children who have been by force taken for battle will be reformed and handed over to their parents through this agenda, he said.
The Government is totally next to children being recruited for battle.
"We have already reformed 100 children in the East and they are with their parents now," he said.
According to the accord, all child soldiers in the East will be reformed within one year. This move is being implemented under the support of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. He has supported this project which will end in one year.
Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has issued a gazette notification to ensure the well-being of child soldiers and straight them for treatment. The agenda is being implemented under the management of the judges following global standards

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