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The controversial recruitment of Tamil women into the Sri Lankan armed forces has continued, with another 45 Tamil women and 10 Tamil-speaking Singhalese women having been enlisted into the army on Monday.
The women, from Batticaloa, Vanni, Mullaithivu and Kandy, will be deployed in “war affected developing areas for peace building and reconciliation processes”, reported the Defence Ministry’s website.
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“Under the patronage of His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Secretary of Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa directed the recruitment. The initiative and the enrolment were carried out with the supervision of the Security forces Commander (Wanni) Maj. General Boniface Perera,” the website further said.
Previous recruitment of Tamil women saw at least 20 admitted in hospital suffering from trauma, suspected to be due to sexual abuse. One of the women was found dead in June this year and human rights organisations have expressed concern over coercive methods used to enlist the women.
Woman's corpse in Maankulam identified as SL Defence Force recruit (05 Jun 2013)
Sri Lankan Army coerces Tamil women into joining (13 Dec 2012)
Tamil women recruited in SL army, sexually assaulted (30 Nov 2012)