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The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam will continue to beef up its forces , despite the on going peace process with the government, a military leader of the rebel group declared at a passing out parade of the rebel soldiers. The military leader , 'Colonel' Karuna Amman told a passing out parade of 436 rebel soldiers in the rebel dominated Paugamam Kandumani Maha Vidyala grounds it was necessary to continue strengthening the rebel forces until all rights of the Tamil people were won. The rebel soldiers as the 52nd batch had undergone a six-month commando training at the Mamari Munmari Kottam LTTE camp in the Batticaloa Ampara area, the Sinhala Service of the BBC, the Sandeshaya reported. Correspondent for the service, Shanthi Selvadorai said the military leader emphasized the importance of maintaining the military prowess of the Tigers since it was the only way of winning the rights of the Tamil people. While Karuna Amman received the salute of the passing out parade, LTTE political leaders like S. Karikalan, religious and social leaders of the area and Sri Lanka government officials were invited for the ceremony, Shanthi Selvadorai reported. Karuna Amman reportedly said, that it was their military power which had induced the Sri Lanka government to come to peace talks with them. He boasted that 15,000 to 20,000 people joined the Tigers heeding the request by Velupillai Prabhakaran to gain a tremendous victory in the Jaya Sikuru campaign which helped the Tigers to win the Wanni area. He said therefore , a child from every Tamil family should be allowed to join the rebel army if such victories are needed by the Tamil people. Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have accused the rebel group of recruiting under age children, sometimes as low as seven years to their army, sometimes after kidnapping from their homes. (EOM) (11/06/02 go2lanka.com) |