UNICEF, LTTE agree on action plan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 March 2003, 20:35 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the UNICEF Tuesday agreed on the development of an action plan on children affected by war in the North-East, including children involved in child labor, civilian or military, sources said.

The agreement was reached in discussions between Mr. S.P. Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE's Political Section, and Mr. Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka, Tuesday in Kilinochchi.

The LTTE will share a draft of the plan with the UNICEF on Monday, March 10.





A working group of the LTTE, Tamils' Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and the UNICEF will meet on March 14 and 15 to review the technical and operational aspects of the action plan, the sources said.

A planning workshop will be held at the end of March. The workshop to finalize the action plan will include representatives from the LTTE, the Government of Sri Lanka, the TRO, the UNICEF and other international agencies. The action plan workshop will be followed by district level workshops to work out implementation in each district.

Training for members of the LTTE and Heads of district Political Sections on Children's rights will take place during the second week of April.

It was agreed that the transit centers for children affected by war will be temporary and in the best interests of the children. These centers will be co-managed by international and national agencies, including the TRO and the UNICEF. The centers will provide an opportunity to assess children and make appropriate plans for their future, the sources added.


Left to Right: UNICEF representatives Christine Watkins - Child Protecting Consultant, Ted Chaiban - Representative, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Penny Brune and Sarah Lenden - Asst. programme officer, Children affected by armed Conflict


S.P. Tamilselvan - Head of the LTTE's Political Section, Pulidevan (centre) and the TRO representative Mr. Thiyaharajah