Sri Lanka child recruitment deal
File picture of Col Karuna's fighters
Many loyal to Col Karuna are alleged to be underaged
The government of Sri Lanka and the UN children's fund (Unicef) have reached agreement with a breakaway faction of the Tamil Tigers on child recruitment.
They signed a plan earlier this week to ensure that the recruitment and use of children by the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) comes to an end.
The TVMP is led by Col Karuna, who defected from the rebels in 2004.
It is now allied in the country's parliament with the governing United People's Freedom Alliance.
'Clear timetable'
Under the terms of the plan, all children currently with the TMVP are to be released and provided with "reintegration assistance".
Col Karuna in 2004
Profile: Colonel Karuna
The ministry of justice says that the plan gives "a clear timetable of required actions by the signatories over the next three months".
A Unicef spokesman, James Elder, told the BBC Tamil service that it was estimated that 133 children were in the ranks of the TMVP as of 31 October.
He said that out of this total, 61 were younger than 18 and 71 had been recruited under that age.
Mr Elder said that the government would take care of the safety and rehabilitation of the released children and that by 1 January 2009 they had agreed to release all children.
The agreement was signed by Col Karuna on behalf of the TVMP, the government-appointed commissioner general for rehabilitation, Suhada Gamalath, and the UN children's fund representative in Sri Lanka, Philippe Duamelle.
"Monday's signing clearly states the commitment of the three parties to efficiently tackle the issue of the use and recruitment of children, which is against Sri Lankan and international law and does great physical and psychological damage to them," said Mr Gamalath.
The government says that it regards the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as "a serious child rights' violation" and has consistently asserted its "zero tolerance" position on the practice.
The Tamil Tigers have frequently been accused in recent years of using child soldiers.
Col Karuna was a senior rebel commander in eastern Sri Lanka, effectively number two in the Tamil Tiger military organisation.
But after his defection he began fighting alongside government forces against the Tigers.
His fighters joined the Sri Lankan government in its offensive against the rebels and helped the security forces to recapture parts of the eastern region from them in 2007.
Col Karuna returned from Britain in July after serving a prison sentence for possessing a false passport.
He said his forged diplomatic passport and visa were arranged for him by the Sri Lankan defence secretary.
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