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Child Protection Authority meets UNICEF-Colombo

- the remaining cases of underage children within LTTE,
- possible support from UNICEF to setup a wider program for children at risk,
- initiating a heightened awareness program to given confidence to the children at school that they will be safe when aerial bombers fly in the sky and
- the issue of a inaccurate and prejudicial article in the Dominion Post of New Zealand written by someone claiming to be UNICEF communication manager.

Underage recruitment

CPA raised the importance of its members having physical access to the eastern districts in order to set the release process in motion with a same momentum as that in the northern districts. Without such access, the difficulties experienced by CPA in obtaining the release of the children in the east in the present military situation were explained to UNICEF. CPA requested some acknowledgement from UNICEF in its reports about this problem facing CPA.

CPA explained its policy of not placing anyone released from LTTE at ESDC. CPA undertook to release, over the coming weeks, all the seventeen cases of those released from LTTE presently at ESDC. CPA informed UNICEF that it has written to the parents to come and collect their children from ESDC. The delay in releasing the children is mainly due to delay in parents reporting to CPA as has been requested by CPA through letter to parents.

Children at risk

CPA raised the need for UNICEF to assist local partners to develop a program for children at risk. CPA pointed out that this is so much more urgent now, given that ESDC will no longer act as the institution for such children.

School safety during aerial attacks

Representative of the Education Council of Tamil Eelam, Kaviyanpan, presented to UNICEF the difficulties in maintaining normalcy at schools when aerial bombers are flying overhead. He pointed out that past experiences of bombing schools have destroyed all confidence among parents and students that schools will be spared during aerial bombardment. He asked for the initiation of a program to create a heightened awareness to build confidence among parents and students that schools will be safe. He requested that international agencies working for children to create an international awareness of this issue thus applying pressure on the Sri Lankan government to respects schools as peace zones.

Inaccurate and prejudicial article in New Zealand - Dominion Post by UNICEF

CPA also asked UNICEF if the extremely inaccurate and prejudicial article that appeared in the April 27, 2007, issue of Dominion Post of New Zealand written by a member of UNICEF-New Zealand, was an official report by UNICEF. The article titled “On the brink of ruin”, written by the Communication Manager of UNICEF-New Zealand blamed LTTE for the deteriorating situation in the island and did not find a single fault with the Government of Sri Lanka for the present situation. This is in total contradiction to all other international media reports, and reports by other States. UNICEF was unable to respond to the query and promised to give their response later.

05 June 2007

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