Tamil Catholic priests compel LTTE to return abducted orphans
(January 2, 2009) The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have released the sixteen
Tamil orphans who were abducted on December 23rd by the tigers to be conscripted as
“child” soldiers. The tigers that refused to release the children in the age group
of 11 – 14 despite entreaties by the Catholic church were finally compelled to release
them because of strong protests by some bold and conscientious Tamil catholic priests.
Thirty Tamil catholic priests had planned to commence a “fast unto death protest fast
in a Church from January 1st 2009. Their demand was that the LTTE should return the
abducted children immediately. The LTTE already under tremendous military pressure
tried “soft” and “hard” talk to make the priests re- consider their decision. The
priests however remained determined. Finally the LTTE fleeing Paranthan, relented
and returned the sixteen children without any conditions. Their objective achieved
the priests called off the fast. The Vicar – General of the Mannar diocese Rev.Fr.
Victor Soosai has confirmed that the 16 children had been returned to the orphanage
run by the church. The shocking incident of abduction took place on the day of St.
Stephen’s feast on December 23rd. It happened at the Boys Home orphanage run by the
Catholic Church at Tharmapuram in the Kilinochchi region. Most of the children in
the orphanage had gone out that day to visit relatives but some children remained. Suddenly
a group of tiger cadres had arrived and demanded that the children handed over to
them as everyone was needed to fight for the Tamil homeland. Rev. Fr. Arush Eric Rohan
the orphanage director had refused and asked the LTTE to leave. The tiger leader had
turned abusive and ordered his cadres to forcibly remove the children. Panic – stricken
orphan children had started running away screaming in fright. Some began hiding while
others started howling and crying. Though some managed to escape the LTTE succeeded
in rounding up sixteen of the boys. The cadres tied the hands and feet of the children
and carried them like sacks and dumped them in a truck Fr. Rohan and another priest
tried to obstruct the LTTE but were thrashed and pushed to the ground Fire-arms were
also brandished. After the shocking incident Catholic church leaders in the North
made several entreaties to the LTTE that the abductees be released but the tigers
refused Finally a group of 30 Tamil catholic priests went to Puthukkudiyiruppu and
pleaded with some tiger leaders but found no mercy. Finally the LTTE relented and
released the 16The incident has created a massive amount of negative publicity for
the LTTE