Former Canadian Foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy has urged the Canadian Government to take a strong stand against the Sri Lankan rebel group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on the issue of continued recruitment of child soldiers. Mr. Axworthy’s made this call when he was interviewed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in its program series "Whose Truth". He said the Canadian Tamils have a close association with the present Canadian government and that Prime Minister Martin should use this connection to remind the Canadian Tamil community that the LTTE is committing an international crime. Lloyd Axworthy said the Canadian Tamils have a close association with the present Canadian government and that Prime Minister Martin should use this connection to remind the Canadian Tamil community that the LTTE is committing an international crime.

He explained that recruitment of child soldiers is an international crime and it is clearly embedded in the Canadian Criminal Code. The Canadian Tamil community, he said, should be asked to tell the Tamil Tigers that they cannot continue with this Crime. Mr. Axworthy said Tamil tigers had been recruiting child soldiers for many years. Human Rights Watch estimated the extent in thousands. Reports are coming that with a large number of kids let loose by the Tsunami disaster, the use of child soldiers by the Tamil Tigers had increased, he added. CBC’s "Whose Truth" program focused on Tsunami fund raising activities in Toronto, in particular about the destination of the millions of dollars donated by Toronto Tamils to the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization, an LTTE front organization. He said the government must make a real effort to make zero tolerance legislation about the funding of organizations that use violence or terror. This, he added, would help dry up community support to organizations such as the Tamil Tigers.

Few forms of child abuse are more abhorrent than the practice of training and sending children into armed combat. Yet the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has got away with the forcible recruitment of child soldiers, some of them as young as nine or ten years of age, and perhaps weighing only slightly more than the weapons they are forced to carry. In all the major military offensives by the LTTE against the Sri Lankan armed forces through the 1990s, children constituted a significant part of the group’s strike force. Despite repeated censure by human rights organizations, the LTTE continues to conscript under-aged boys and girls into its fighting force.

This is an indictable violation of agreements that the organization signed with the United Nations Special Representative for Children’s in Fund in 2003, that it would not recruit those below the age of 18. A report of Mr. Otunnu, presented by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Security Council where it was discussed recently, documents confirm the fact that during 2004 alone the LTTE recruited or re-recruited 1,000 children. The report notes that girls accounted for a high percentage of these recruits. The organization clearly has an insatiable appetite for children. Thus far, the LTTE has acted with impunity in the knowledge that no one can force it to stop recruiting children. It is in this respect that the latest CAAC report is important. For the first time, it discusses the need for a mechanism that will monitor and report violations of children’s rights, including the recruitment of children, and ensure compliance. The report, a comprehensive compilation of situations in which armed groups use and abuse children, notes that the existence of strong international norms has not halted atrocities against children.

It urges the international community to "redirect it energies" to ensuring adherence to these norms. Sensibly leaving the primary responsibility for protecting children to national governments, the document recommends that where governments, weakened by years of conflict the General Assembly, the International Criminal Court, the Commission on human Rights and regional organizations should supplement the efforts of national mechanisms. Noteworthy among the compliance enforcing measures it commends to the Security Council for adoption are the imposition of travel restrictions on leaders of the offending groups, their exclusion from any governance structures, and restrictions on the flow of financial resources. If the Security Council acts "expeditiously" on the report’s recommendations as it has promised, the LTTE, which claims to be the sole representative of the Tamils of North - East Ceylon, will be hit hard.

The LTTE evidently still believes it can fend off the international outrage over child soldiers by making vague and vacuous commitments. Nothing else explains its communication to Mr. Otunnu the day before the Security Council discussion on his report, expressing a "readlines to enter into a dialogue" on the issue. But the Special Representative, no longer as trusting of the organization, as he was six years ago, has asked the LTTE leadership "to embark immediately on tangible actions, leading to a time-bound action plan to end, once and for all, the practices of recruitment, abductions and use of children as soldiers." This is the most fitting response to a group that first denied ever recruiting children, then spread the fiction that boys and girls joined it voluntarily, later demobilized a few hundred child soldiers, only to re-recruit them. The LTTE must not be allowed any longer to get away with an abominable practice that the civilized world could not tolerate.

The LTTE has launched an offensive to get the UNICEF expelled from Ceylon, following strong criticism and condemnation from the United Nations Security Council for continued recruitment and use of child soldiers. United Nations sources reveal that the LTTE has written to the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict Olara Otunnu requesting for time to respond to allegations made against it by the UN. The LTTE, is learnt is furious with the UNICEF for its extensive reporting on the continued recruitment of children to the LTTE’s ranks and is demanding that UNICEF be replaced by another agency. The LTTE has even asked to have a dialogue with the UN in this regard.

UNICEF has reported more than 4700 cases of recruitment of children by the LTTE: by force, abducting children while on their way to school or during religious festivals. UNICEF is also on record as having stated that the LTTE recruited 40 children from camps set up for people affected by the December 26 Tsunami. The UN Secretary General’s report to the Security Council, Highlights the cases reported by UNICEF. The report recommends "targeted and concrete measures" against the armed groups –including LTTE-which is systematically using child soldiers. All this, despite pledges made to Olara Otunnu during his visit to Ceylon in 1998, and an Action Plan agreed to with UNICEF in 2003 covering under-age recruitment. However, Diplomatic sources say that the UN should not even consider a demand to engage in discussions with an armed group facing sanctions, thus as to whether the UN has a mandate to engage in a dialogue with an armed group which is yet to renounce violence and which is listed or banned as a terrorist group in several of its members states.

Six persons were shot dead and three injured in a suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attack in Ceylon’s north-western Polonnararuwa district, army sources said. The victims included three Muslims, a Sinhalese and a Tamil youth, suspected to be a former member of the People’s liberation Organization for Tamil Eelam (PLOTE). The motive behind the killing was not known.

Even as the rebel LTTE was at pains in attempting to distance itself from the Killings in the east, there was yet another incident in which armed gunmen kidnapped and murdered Abdul Hamid Mohammad Rahim (24), an auto rickshaw driver. According to police sources, the vehicle was hired to take two passengers to Vakarai. But as the 3 wheeler approached the army camp in Cajuwatte, two armed men accosted the vehicle. As the terrified passengers took to their heels, the armed men commandeered the vehicle. Soon afterwards, the passengers reported the incident to the local police in Valaichchenai yesterday night. The body of the driver Rahim was discovered on 9^th Wednesday near the LTTE controlled area of Kirumichchi. Significantly, an LTTE member was killed at the same spot a few days ago. Angry locals downed the shutters of their shops and called for a general strike against the killing.

Political analysts agree that latest report (March 1, 2005) in the Jane’s Intelligence Review (JIR) on the renewed – shopping spree" for arms by the LTTE in south Asia is a serious threat to the peace process in Ceylon. According to JIR the LTTE has launched a campaign to rebuild its naval force which was smashed by the Tsunami that hit the eastern coast on Boxing Day.

In his JIR report, authority Davis, a recognized specialist on the terror tactics of the LTTE and its armed wing, has presented an in–depth analysis of LTTE "Shopping spree" in Southeast Asia- Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand–to procure "accelerated purchases of dual–use technology and sophisticated communications equipment suitable for use both at sea and on shore". Political analysts argue that this predictable move of the LTTE will endanger the peace process and India and Ceylon must take immediate steps to increase its naval surveillance to block the smuggling of arms. A Senior Officer in the Ministry of Defence said that the LTTE was never interested in the peace process that the LTTE has not changed its tactics, its goals or its violence despite condemnation by the international community.

An underhand move to extend by two years the tenure of the pro-Tiger Bishop Rt. Rev. Subramaniam Jebanesan of the Church of South India (CSI) has backfired, with the young pastors rejecting him as their next bishop. The move to extend his term was backed by the LTTE but their presence raised a storm of protest. Bishop Jebanesan had prepared the stage for the LTTE to make their presence felt in the decision-making process of the Diocesan Council of CSI which met on February 25 at Ottley Hall of Jaffna College in Vadukoddai. One of the main items in the agenda was to make arrangements for the election of a successor to Bishop Jebanesan whose term expires at the end of March. Faced with retirement on reaching the age of 65 Bishop Jebanesan packed the stage last week with leading LTTE representatives to back his move for an extension.

Bishop Jebanesan who was appointed to this office in 1993 is due hand over his office to a successor as he has reached the retirement age of 65. The Diocesan Council comprising nearly 150 delegates, drawn from the clergy and laity, met over two days to decide on various issues, including the election of a Diocesan secretary whose task would be to select a successor to Bishop Jebanesan. The CSI delegates were taken by surprise when they found Ilamparithy, LTTE Jaffna political head and Daya Master media spokesman, sitting with Bishop Jebanesan on the stage. Three more tigers were seated behind taking down notes of the proceedings.

At the commencement of the proceedings, Bishop Jebanesan took care to explain their presence on the stage of the LTTE representatives. He said that he had invited the LTTE by invoking the "Bishop’s Charge" procedure and proceeded to request Ilamparithy to address the Council. Predictably, Ilamparithy praised the political merits of Bishop Jebanesan and his services to the LTTE. He urged a further two-year extension in the interests of the Tamil nation as Bishop Jebanesan is in the process of writing a separatist Christian theology for the guidance of the Tamils. He urged the CSI head to extend the Jaffna Bishop’s term of office by another two years. The delegates were fully aware of the political motive behind the LTTE to extend the term by two years. The LTTE is keen on getting another pro-LTTE candidate as the successor to Bishop Jebanesan. But he is under 50 year of age and under the new rules of CSI candidates under 50 are not eligible to election. If, however, they could extend the term of Bishop Jebanesan then they could line up their pro-LTTE candidates to be elected as the next bishop of CSI.

Another factor is Bishop Jebanesan’s move to create a separate Church opposed to the move to unite all Christian Churches in Ceylon. The Separatist ideology of the LTTE is carried into every sphere and they oppose Tamil Churches uniting with other Sri Lankan Churches. The likely successor to Bishop Jebanesan is not inclined to this ideology of separating Churches on political lines. He believes in Christian unity and is more inclined to merge CSI with other denominations leading to the next stage of forming a United Church of Sri Lanka. These cross currents played a key role in the Diocesan Council of CSI, which met on February 28. The delegates who resented the instructions of the LTTE, sponsored by Bishop Jebanesan, did not yield to the demands of the LTTE. They voted against the extension of Bishop Jebanesan’s term, opening the CSI hopefully to a more Christian outlook than to a Tamil separatist ideology.

OfERR continued the Tsunami services in the Kanyakumary District. The villages covered were Kotilpadi 1 and 2, Simon colony, Mandaikkadu and Manalivelai. The services provided by OfERR volunteers covered counselling, Women empowerment, capacity building, guidance in accessing medical services, lobbying, motivation for education, skills and vocational training. OfERR volunteers plan and coordinate the services with other NGOs such as DON BOSCO, World Vision MSF, UNICEF, NIMANS etc. Planning the services with NGOs not only prevent overlapping of services but also enables a healthy rapport with the others NGOs and the beneficiaries.

OfERR volunteers also continued the cordial interaction with the governmental authorities responsible for Tsunami. Suggestions by OfERR volunteers are promptly discussed by the officials and necessary actions taken on the suggestion. OfERR volunteers visited 223 houses in April and noted the needs of the different households. Shramadana services were also provided. Counselling services covered the needs of 293 persons. 11 group counselling sessions and 6 review meetings were conducted by OfERR counsellors. It was noted there was a lack of adequate nutrition among the victims of the Tsunami. Discussions were held with those people who required nutritional supplement with a view to plan implement a scheme of nutrition supplement to those in need. Due to poor sanitation and poor health conditions, many were affected by common diseases. Therefore awareness exposures on health and sanition were provided through 13 programmes. 346 persons in the villages benefited through the health worker services, counselling and capacity building. 99 persons in the villages joined OfERR volunteers in the Shramadana services to keep the environment clean.

OfERR was compelled to draw the attention of Government authorities to redress the problem of drinking water shortage and the delay in relief items reaching the people in Melamanakkudi and Simon colony villages. Discussions were also held with the Government doctors to solicit their support for providing medical services. OfERR has gone out its way to share information pertaining to the services with the governmental officers and NGOs. This has resulted in visits undertaken by NGO's and Government officers to our office and to meetings and discussions being held in the field areas. Students fora have also been set up to motivate the students and 11 such active fora are functioning in the affected villages.

These fora meetings has helped the students to perform better in their studies. OfERR volunteers who were members of student fora in the refugee camps joined in some of the for meetings to share their beneficial experiences. The fora meetings are conducted with much acceptance and enthusiasm by the student participants. Competitions could not be held due to preoccupation in preparing for the public examinations. Coaching classes were also conducted by several NGO's. OfERR volunteers share their experiences in conducting nursery classes with the NGO's involved in such activities. Data is being collected on the needs of the nursery classes such a construction of common shed and nutrition deficiencies of the children.

13 self help groups (SHG) have been formed and functioning well in the six villages where OfERR volunteers are providing services. Before the formation of the new SHGs 76 old SHGs were functional in the villages. In the newly formed SHGs there are 207 members and the 76 SHGs have a membership role of 1320. These SHGs meet once a week and discuss their successes and shortcomings. The women empowerment motivators also met the newly formed SHG members and motivated them by sharing their experience in the processes. In come Generation animators from OfERR provided vocational training to 7 SHGs benefiting 107 women.

Capacity building among young girls in the six villages has been greatly appreciated by the village people. The capacity building has motivated the formation of 9 groups consisting of young girls. These groups were provided 5 capacity building trainings. Vocational training too was provided. The review meetings by OfERR volunteers pointed out a few short comings that were unavoidable but over all the programmes were progressing as per the plans worked out by the OfERR team. Above all the services are being greatly accepted by the people among whom the services are provided. The monthly review meetings are conducted under the leadership of OfERR consultant Rev. Dr. Kambar Manickam.

OfERR services in Cuddalore district centred in around the following 14 villages. Chinnur, Pudupettai, Pudukkupam, Velingarayanpettai, Samiarpettai, Rettiyarpettai, Periakuppam, Mudasalodai, M.G.R. Thittu, Chinnavaikal, Kannaginagar, Muzhuguthurai, Pillaimedu, T.S.Pettai, Mudasalodai Nadu. OfERR continued the healthy coordination with the active NGOs numbering about 14 and the government authorities. Monthly reports of our activities in Counselling, Medical and Nutrition were shared with District Assistant Director (Health Work). Counselling work is being carried on under the guidance of the District Psychiatrist. Where medical treatment is required, arrangements are made to provide the necessary treatment. The reports are also sent to the District Collector through the District Assistant (Health). Births and Deaths certificates are obtained on behalf of those who need such documents.

1421 houses were visited by our volunteers in keeping with the planned activities. Furthermore, there is an ongoing dialogue and discussion between OfEER volunteers and the affected people who are helped through our services. They are also counselled to overcome the problems they have been facing, particularly after the Tsunami hit their villages. The Shramadana activities drew 48 male and 38 female students in Mudasalodai village and 50 male students and 15 female students from Chinnavaikkal village. 30 girls from the youth group also participated in the Shramadana work. 196 persons benefited through counselling services during house visits in the month of April. 124 of the beneficiaries were females. Our trained volunteers had identified malnourished among the village people.

Awareness on this condition was given to the people and they were advised ways and means by which they could improve their nutrition level. Ideas and inputs were given to enhance their nutrition status. The 114 lactating mothers were made aware of diseases that could affect them due to the prevailing insanitary conditions in the environment and in their homes. 29 patients were accompanied by health workers to the government hospitals for treatment. Eye testing was carried out through the help of Chennai Sankara Nethralaya hospital in Chennai. 203 persons eyes had their examined. 12 persons underwent surgery. Our volunteers contacted other NGOs also involved in similar services and it is hoped that joint consultations could lead to better coordination of the services rendered by NGOs.

Weekly meetings are held with governmental authorities and monthly meetings with Primary health care centers and the Registrar of births marriages and deaths. They have extended their support to OfERR volunteers, who are knowledgeable in such matters. Officials have promptly attended to the birth certificates applied for and submitted by our volunteers. OfERR volunteers motivated the students to begin students fora. Work commenced in TS Pettai, Chinnavaikkal Periyakuppam, and Muzhukuthurai. In Chinnur village volunteers visited the houses of 130 students and encouraged the students to persue their education and the parents to support the efforts of their children’s studies. 43 students were selected for computer training.

Periyakuppam primary school and Higher Secondary school and primary school, and Mudasalodai were visited by our volunteers and they interacted with the teachers and students. Women empowerment was pursued by our volunteers. Meetings were held with 9 SHG’s consisting of 168 members. Vocational training was requested by the SHG members. Trainings and exposure programmes were provided to 87 persons in Pudupettai, Pudukuppam and Chinnur villages. Many have been identified for tailoring training and other vocational trainings. Communication and leadership training is given to the villagers.

It is observed that the NGO coordination is poor resulting in overlapping of services. OfERR volunteers through the NGO coordination experience often go and meet other NGOs to discuss the programmes and activities. Sadly such moves are not reciprocated by other NGO’s. Counselling programme has a great impact. Many with suicidal tendencies have been counselled and restored to a normal frame of mind.

A meeting was held at Olgaimangalam field office on the 02.5.2005 to review the work that was carried out by OfERR volunteers working in 18 villages in the Nagapattinam District. The general view that emerged at the meeting was that the volunteers should consider the villages they now work in as their own village back home. The work that was completed during the month of April would fall into the following categories.

Polio drops were given in Kuddiyadiyur,Sinnankudhi, where 382 children benefited, and in Perumalpettai 88 children were given Polio drops and 175 children benefited in Puthupettai and Manickapangu. 200 children were given polio drops at Sinnoor and Chandrapadi. The Health Workers screened the patients having chronic diseases and checked the weights of pregnant women in the villages of Vellakovil and Chinnamedu. The health Team staged an awareness drama on care to be taken at the prenatal stage of pregnant women.

The Health Team contacted 310 families in Kumarankkudi and checked the weight of pregnant women. The nutritional status of such women were also discussed. The Health Team visited Puthupettai and Manikkapangu and met chronic patients. In Chandrapadi and Sinnoorpetttai, blood pressure was checked and weights taken. The Health Team visited Thalampettai and Veppancheri and contacted pregnant women, lactating mothers and discussed with them the importance of balanced diet and their nutritional status. The people suffered the menace of flies. The Health to authorities were requested to control this menace by spraying insecticide. This was carried out by the authorities. Awareness meetings were conducted for 15 women in Tharangampadi by the health team on diseases that generally affected women. Similarly 25 youths were given awareness on sex related diseases in the same village.

On 01.04.05 our volunteers and the women living in the Olugaimangalam street celebrated International Women’s day. A one day training on woman empowerment was given to women at the Olugaimangalam office. Is Sinnamanikkapangu a ‘young women’ group by the name Ilayanila consisting of 38 girls was formed. Awareness meeting on the pitfalls of young age marriages were conducted for 22 women in Perumalpettai. Awareness training for women on sex related diseases were conducted for 32 young women in Chandrapadi on 07.04.05.

Leadership and Communication training for young women hailing from the village Kuttiyandiyur was imparted. A similar training was given to the youths of the same village. On 23^rd April, 23 women from Kumarakudi were given training on leadership. In Pudupettai 18 persons were given training on leadership and on 8^th April 26 women from Sinnoorpettai were given training on leadership. 12 youths from the Chandrapadi were given training on leadership for youths. In Kuttiyandiyur 22 youths benefited by Leadership Training.

Tailoring training took place in Kumarakudi where 32 beneficiaries participated. On 28.04.05 Mr. Hendrik of DCA inaugurated a tailoring center at Thalampetai. Handicraft training was given in Sinnamedu and Kumarakkudi women where 12 young women and six senior women were given handicrafts training. Similar training was given to 4 men and 2 women at Thalampettai. In Veppancheri Self Help Group women were given training on maintaining accounts on 24.04.05. The Self Help Group at Tharangampadi was given training on the importance of the SHG. In Tharangampaadi the volunteers met 6 Self Help Groups members and explained about clustering.

On 08.04.05 32 women in Kumarakudi and 32 women in Sinnamedu were given training in counselling. On 07.04.05 19 youths were given counselling in Chandrapadi.

The work by OfERR volunters in Ceylon under the leadership of Miss. Sooriyakumary continued in April. 520 transitional centres (semi permanent) structures for Tsunami displaced persons were completed and given out for occupation. OfERR has targeted 1250 transitional centres to be put up for the people in the area of work allotted to us. OfERR is in the process of providing sustainable livelihood assistance for those affected people who have been settled. They were assisted by the provision of fishing equipment for the fishermen, agricultural equipment for the farmers and the implements required for those involved in skilled work such as welding work, carpentry, machine tools and those who were running petty shops destroyed by the Tsunami later rebuilt with assistance from NGO’s etc. OfERR volunteers continued their committed services despite many odds and difficulties. OfERR also coordinated with the Governmental authorities, UNICEF, UNHCR and with the local NGO consortium.

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