LTTE returns 3 children to their parents

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 February 2003, 16:28 GMT]
Three children who sought to join the LTTE, were handed over to their parents by Mr. S. Ezhilan, the head of the LTTE's political division in Vavuniya today, in the presence of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) members, sources said.

Last week, a group of three children was similarly handed over to their parents in Vavuniya.

Meanwhile, sources said that the attention of the SLMM has been drawn to complaints that Sri Lankan military intelligence personnel are visiting the homes of children returned to their parents, and forcing the children to make false complaints to the Human Rights Commission that they did not seek to join the LTTE, but were forcibly recruited by the LTTE.

The complaints also allege that the intelligence personnel are harassing the children, repeatedly asking the children about the name of LTTE leaders they met, where they were taken, and many other details.