Karuna denies UN allegations

6 February 2010 02:14 pm

By Kshanika Argent


Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan (Karuna) has rejected allegations raised in a UN report that claims rampant child recruitment is taking place in the Ampara district under the orders of his associate Iniya Barrathi.

Speaking to Daily Mirror Online Minister Karuna stated that he had met with the retired Major General Patrick Cammaert, sent to Sri Lanka by the UN a few months ago to compile a report on Children and Armed Conflict in Sri Lanka, with the Minister of Justice. 

Minister Karuna said that he had taken up Mr. Cammaert’s concerns with Mr. Barrathi who denies the allegations. He said, “There’s no need for us to recruit child soldiers anymore since we are now involved in a political process,” adding that Mr. Barrathi is a Presidential Coordinator in Ampara and will be contesting the upcoming general elections with the SLPF.

In his report, Cammaert alleges that there are a number of reports of child recruitment and threats of re-recruitment of children in Ampara district by Mr. Barrathi and that some children from the district, currently undergoing re-integration assistance and skills training, are afraid of returning to Ampara upon completion of the training.

Mr. Cammaert goes on to claim that Minister Karuna was aware of the situation and that the Minister had urged Mr. Barrathi to stop recruiting and expressed frustration over his behavior.