Education International deplores Sencholai children killing

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 August 2006, 11:28 GMT]
“Education International (EI) is of great concern that in the recent escalation of hostilities, children are more often the victims. Education International particularly deplores the death of dozens of teenage school girls in the Sencholai children home in Mullaitivu as a result of bombings,” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen in a letter to President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Education International is very alarmed at the recent upsurge of violence in Sri Lanka which has resulted in many innocent civilian victims, among them children. EI is of great concern that in the recent escalation of hostilities, children are more often the victims. Education International particularly deplores the death of dozens of teenage school girls in the Sencholai children home in Mullaitivu as a result of bombings, said in EI’s letter.

Education International, the global union federation of teachers representing over 29 million members in 166 countries, has five teacher unions in Sri Lanka among its affiliates. The Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) is one of them, sources said.

Excerpts from the EI letter:-

“Education International believes education has a major contribution to make to resolving conflict. At its last Congress in 2004, it adopted a resolution “condemning war and terrorism, whilst campaigning for democratic coexistence and calling for teachers worldwide to promote education for peace and intercultural learning”.

“Education International respectfully requests that the national government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and return to negotiations in order to come to some final settlement, as there can be no military solution to this lengthy conflict”.

"Dear President, in your speech to commemorate the 58th anniversary of independence, you stated: "Although there is conflict due to various political challenges before us today, overall the spirit of cooperation and understanding has been preserved at a high level among the various ethnic and religious communities of our land. (…) Our Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim and other national leaders toiled hard to build a sense of national feeling, pride and patriotism among the peoples of all races and religions in our country. They also worked tirelessly to plant the seeds of peaceful coexistence among our people." Education International sincerely trusts that this message is one your government can support, concludes the letter the EI General Secretary sent to Sri Lankan President.