Colombo (AsiaNews) The Sri Lankan government is planning to assist Tamil Tigers deserters who surrender to government security forces by offering them rehabilitation and vocational training in view of employment abroad.
"The Commissioner General of Rehabilitation will conduct a rehabilitation programme for those who surrender," said the Defence Spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. They "will be provided with jobs with the coordination of the Skills Development Ministry and [. . .] be offered jobs in countries like Korea and Malaysia".
The Minister pointed out that a large number Tamil Tigers rebels who escaped from LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) camps have surrendered to the security forces within the past few days and that they will be provided for as part of this programme.
The programme itself is designed to give these youths to same skills as other youth in the country. And some former rebels have already benefited from it.
In a statement made by military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe,27 Tamil Tigers have surrendered to the security forces within the past four days and 16 child soldiers recruited by the rebels surrendered to the Selvanagar and Mahindapura army camps, in Trincomalee, 270 kilometres north-east from Colombo,
Following a government appeal made a few months ago to young rebels to surrender to the nearest police station or to security forces camps, more than 60 have left rebel ranks.
According to the army figures, more than 500 Tamil Tigers have deserted since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in 2002.