ASIA: Tamil Tigers accused of kidnapping orphans
29 Dec 2008 3:39 PM
COLOMBO, Dec 29 DPA - Tamil rebels have abducted 16 children from a Catholic orphanage in northern Sri Lanka to be enlisted in their movement as fighters, the defence ministry says, citing civilians who escaped to government-held areas.
The children were taken from the orphanage in Kilinochchi, 320km north of the capital Colombo, after holding two Roman Catholic priests at gunpoint on Friday, the army said on Monday.
It said the Tamil rebels demanded the priest release all children above the age of 12 to be taken away.
The incident was witnessed by a woman who lives adjacent to the church, the defence ministry said.
"Those innocent children tried in vain to cling on to the two priests. They pleaded with the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) cadres to let them go. But they were dragged like cattle taken to the slaughterhouse," the ministry quoted the woman as saying.
"I will never forgive myself for not helping those children. But I had to save my children first. That is why I left my home," the mother of two said, according to the army.
She was among a group of 38 people who escaped into a government-controlled area after fleeing the fighting.
A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Colombo said it could not verify the claims by the civilians because communication with the orphanage was cut off.
