A recent statement released by UNICEF  who has had direct talks with the LTTE regarding the release of Child soldiers stated : " ... at least  1591 "  underage soldiers  " still remained at the end of May 2007 " in the ranks of the  LTTE . Amnesty International (AI)  referring to the "underage soldiers"  state  the LTTE  "immediately return all remaining child soldiers to their families and engage in transparent procedures with UNICEF to reunite remaining child soldiers with their families".  

The figure  of 1591 includes the  "506 who are under the age  of 18 , and 1085 who were recruited when they were under 18 but who have now passed that age". The LTTE has always claimed  not only that these underage soldiers have now reached the age of 18  but have also voluntarily returned whenever they were released to continue fighting . They also maintain   whenever convenient that the age limit for LTTE recruitment is 17 years and NOT 18 years. The International covenant regarding Child recruitment does not apply to them.

"In April l 2007 received reports indicate the  LTTE attempts to forcibly recruit children.  "In April 2007 Amnesty received  that the LTTE  were active in recruiting children in Madhu in Mannar district in preparation  for future military battles in the North."  . The Our Lady of Madhu Church  is a venerated Roman Catholic Shrine in the Mannar district where displaced members of the Tamil community sought "refuge" due to LTTE harassment  . Religious dignitaries complained that the LTTE recruiters were attempting to forcibly recruit children from these camps  which resulted  in  people fleeing to government controlled areas  despite LTTE attempts to prevent them from doing so.  Many families escaped from the Un cleared areas to find peace in government controlled area and to save their children  from  forcible  LTTE conscription. An AI statement reported :" prior to the 2002 ceasefire agreement , the LTTE routinely used children in combat , including high profile battles in which children  often suffered high rates of casualties".   The report stated : "In the past the LTTE have enforced a one family , one child " policy in areas under their control instructing  Tamil "households that each family was obliged to provide a son or a daughter for "the cause" . There is no excuse or acceptable argument for using children as combatants ".   It is both ironical and  heartbreaking  for many parents  that while their children are forcibly conscripted as soldiers and dying or being disabled due to injuries , the children and families  of  LTTE  leaders including the  leader himself , his spokesmen and others  are being educated in the West.
 
The LTTE  agreed when the UN Special representative , Mr. Olara Otunnu visited Killinochchi a few years ago that they will release all child soldiers under 18 years. They never did. It has been the practice for  the LTTE to agree with either the UN, UNICEF  and other UN agencies  but never comply but instead are  in the habit of accusing others  doing so.   They firmly believe that time will make the International Community forget their atrocities or their inhuman treatment of   children  of their own community.   No International leader nor any religious dignitary has  been able to convince the LTTE of this atrocity of Child recruitment . This was evident in instances of   LTTE representative involved in money laundering, arms smuggling, extortion , etc in many countries. However these countries are today taking positive action against such offences  owing to the increase  in  "global  terrorism"  becoming more and more evident as seen by the recent failed bombings in  Glasgow and London, UK. The 7/7 attempts  in London claimed 52 lives . 

AI emphasizes  that using children for  combat " is a war crime" . If this were applicable the LTTE leaders and their supporters have committed a crime against humanity. AI states : "...  Children  have no role  to play in war. The recruitment of children is a war crime".

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