Orphans are targetted by child traffickers

A man arrested with two children from Batticaloa by the Vavuniya police has been remanded for 14 days by the magistrate's court.

He was trying to traffic two children to the rebel-held Vanni through Omantahi checkpoint, police said.

Better life

The two orphans, who are now in Unicef custody, told Divaina correspondent Dinasena Ratugamage in Vavuniya that they have no relatives in Vanni and the man is also unknown to them.

The suspect, however, denies charges that he was trafficking children to LTTE.

The man has promised to "find a better life" for the children.

Two other orphans from Trincomalee were earlier arrested at Omantahi checkpoint and handed over by the police to Unicef.

Child soldiers

The man who brought them, believed to be a child trafficker, has been able to escape police arrest.

Police say they believe the traffickers are trying either to sell or hand these children over to LTTE for recruitment.

All four children said they did not have any relatives in Vanni.

The LTTE is yet to respond to these reports. Tamil Tigers continuously deny that they recruit child soldiers.