Escaping bullets, bombs and "child-catchers"‏

Escaping the "child-catchers" of the LTTE "Child-catchers" of the LTTE The bullets and bombs were scary but what struck terror in Kamla’s heart, were the “child-catchers” of the LTTE. For months, Kamla and her 2 younger sisters managed to escape them by hiding in barrels buried underground in the backyard. The lid would be closed and soil sprinkled on top, with only a small tube fitted for breathing. However, during the final months of the war, shelling became so bad that the family were displaced 14 times and ended up in a hut without any of their possessions. Caught in the cross-fire One morning, when Kamla came out of the hut she found the place surrounded by more than 20 child-catchers. She ran in terror, ducking and hiding behind huts and somehow managed to escape. That night, her family decided they couldn’t continue like this anymore. Along with 150 other Tamils, they began moving towards the Sri Lankan army controlled areas, risking one final confrontation with the LTTE. “Tigers fired wildly. Parents fought against Tigers and some were dragged away,” recalls Kamla. But after a night of battle, the Sri Lankan army saved them and sent them to the Vavuniya camp. A year after this escape, Kamla drew the picture above (she is in yellow, surrounded by “child-catchers” in black) to show what disturbed her the most. Help Kamla and her family discover the truth by calling for an independent investigation. Your signatures will be presented to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at a high level meeting in September during the UN General Assembly. (* Kamla's name has been changed to protect her identity.)