UNHRC calls for an investigation on ex-LTTE leader over recruitment of child soldiers

While the former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) deputy leader Karuna Amman was being probed over his alleged statement, the United Nations Human Rights Council also called for an investigation over the ‘wholesale recruitment’ of child soldiers for the Tamil separatist group. Earlier this month, Karuna Amman had reportedly claimed in public that he had killed over 2,000 Sri Lankan soldiers. On June 25, he was also questioned for over seven hours by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over his remarks.  

While Amman glorified the killing of Sri Lankan soldiers in the island’s north during the LTTE’s separatist war which laster over three decades, the UN body demanded that the “recruitment of child soldiers should also be investigated as it is crime under international law”. 

As per reports, Amman, while speaking at a political rally last week for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country, had said, "When I was a member of the LTTE, I killed some 2,000 to 3,000 Sri Lankan Army personnel in one night at Elephant Pass. I have killed more in Kilinochchi. That is certainly higher than the number of lives the coronavirus has claimed in Sri Lanka”. 

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Amman set to contest upcoming elections 

While following his revelation, a number of individuals, including politicians, called for Amman’s arrest and an investigation, the former LTTE leader is all set to contest the August 5 elections through his own political party. As per reports, he was the LTTE deputy leader and its eastern province commander when they ran a parallel state in their bid to militarily create a separate Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka’s north and east regions. He was the deputy to LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabakaran.

However, back in 2004, he walked out of the LTTE and him leaving also severely weakened the party which led to its ultimate defeat at the hands of government troops in 2009. Earlier, the UN had reportedly accused Amman of recruiting the underaged to his own party Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). His recent claims have also led to a political storm in the run-up to the upcoming August polls. While Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s party publicly disassociated from Amman, he is still seen as an ally of Rajapaksa. 

(Image: @mg2411/Twitter) 

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