Children in Jaffna, despite threats to their lives, are collecting pieces of iron and other metals to be sold to quench unbearable hunger pains states ‘Thinakural’ a newspaper published in Jaffna.
According to ‘Thinakural’ children in Killinochchi and Mullaithivu districts collect pieces of land mines, anti-personal mines and metal parts of other military equipments. According to the newspaper the children enter areas declared by security forces as unprotected areas too to collect these materials.
Most of these children who are trying to quench their hunger by collecting pieces of iron are from very poor families and those who have lost their parents in the war.
The newspaper also states that the number of child labourers in these districts has increased and their education and security has been jeopardized.
Despite two years have passed since the end of the war, the government has failed to solve issues of the people in the North. Not even a programme has been put forward for this by the government. The government attempts to conceal this reality by holding media carnivals
LT