Tigers hand over underage members to UNICEF

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 13:49 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers Thursday handed over to the UNICEF in Kilinochchi 15 youth from their ranks who were found to be under eighteen. The youth, all males, were among those listed as underage members of the Tigers by UNICEF.




The 15 would stay in the UNICEF transit centre for underage cadres handed over to the UN agency by the LTTE.

''We appointed a committe to study the UNICEF list and examine the ages of members who may joined our organisation claiming they were above 18. We will release young persons whom the committe finds to be underage,'' Mr. Daya Master, LTTE' media coordinator told TamilNet.

The Tigers handed over 6 girls and 4 boys who were found to be under 18 by the committee on 31 January, 2004.

They too were on the UNICEF list of underage LTTE cadres.

The handing over took place at the transit centre around 6.30 p.m. UNICEF and LTTE representatives were present.