That’s the depressing but predictable press release put out by UNICEF today.
“We have clear indications that the LTTE has intensified forcible recruitment of civilians and that children as young as 14 years old are now being targeted,” said Mr Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF’s Representative in Sri Lanka.
From 2003 to the end of 2008, UNICEF has recorded more than 6,000 cases of children recruited by the LTTE. “Child soldiers suffer physical abuse, traumatic events and face death. Instead of hope, fear defines their childhood,” said Duamelle.
A lot of people are predicting the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka with the Tamil Tigers seemingly being¬† ground down into the dust. We’ll see, but history reveals that a¬† lasting peace is unlikely to be forged in blood, in atrocity.
Not that anyone really cares. Why should they, as long as the  blood is kept off the beach, as long as the cheap holiday in the sun is secure.
It seems that duckrabbit’s latest feature, INNOCENCE, could not have been more timely.
A big thank you then to all those who have hosted it or written about it on their blogs.¬† To encourage others I’ve re-made INNOCENCE in video format both on Vimeo and youtube.
INNOCENCE – Sri Lanka’s Child Soldiers from Benjamin Chesterton on Vimeo.
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