The Security Forces of Sri Lanka are now engaged in conducting operations to "liberate" the people of the Wanni from the grip of the Tiger terrorists. In the past few months the Security Forces have been making steady progress by launching attacks relentlessly against Tiger terrorist strongholds to "liberate" the Wanni people from terrorist control. It has been confirmed by many independent reports the Tiger terrorists have sustained heavy casualties by the advancing Troops. These reports along with the number of terrorists killed and bunkers destroyed with stocks of food, essential items including military hardware bear witness to the fact that the Tigers are 'feeling the ever increasing heat due to Troops advancing in the Mannar, Welioya and Vavuniya "fronts".

It must be pointed out that almost all stocks of dry rations recovered from had been used sparingly to avert a food crisis and what they have left behind when fleeing from their bunkers is unfit for human consumption. This situation is ample evidence that their logistics system is in a state collapse with no replenishments in sight to sustain themselves for future combat. It is well known that while the ordinary terrorist cadres are undergoing untold misery confined to their bunkers, the Tiger hierarchy including the leader is "comfortably" hiding in deep bunkers with their families. Many of their families are abroad.

There is further evidence of the pathetic plight of the terrorist cadres.

"I am still in tears. Mother, are you having any problems? I handed over five letters to these people expecting to hear from you. Mother, did you receive them? I am now in the Mullikulam area. This area is frequently being shelled. There is neither food nor drink here. We do not know when we can escape from the misery that is on us. Mother please does not worry about me".

This is the pathetic plight of a child soldier during a period of heavy fighting in these areas. This is evidence of the pathetic plight of LTTE child soldiers who have been forcibly recruited, often snatched from their mother's bosom but made to fight without food or water in unimaginable circumstances for what their leaders promised would revolutionize their future. Today the Wanni Tigers have left these child soldiers to man the FDL's , left to fight the advancing Security forces. Such is the brutal Tiger leadership.

While the Security Forces are conducting well planned operations, the desperate attempts by the Tiger leadership to smuggle food, fuel, weapons, and military hardware are successfully disrupted by land, sea and air. Today, the Tiger logistics systems to replenish stocks have been completely disrupted and in disarray.

"Mother, I am in the Manner area battlefield. For the first time I arrived in the Mannar Forward Defense Lines on 8 /8/2007. I am still here. I am not alone but there is neither food nor water. Mother you realize what fate awaits when you join the LTTE. Mother I run, hitting the ground due to the shells falling besides me to get to a safe place to obtain food and water. This is my fate mother, but I do not know whether that is correct. ".

The letter quoted above was written by a young girl, Suya Naraileela and recovered by Troops from a bunker captured during operations in the past few weeks.

These letters provide evidence of the trauma as well as a personal picture of the conditions faced by child soldiers in the battlefield. These experiences are confirmed by all child soldiers and even terrorists who have surrendered to the Security Forces. They are also "eye" witness accounts written by terrorists including child soldiers to their loved ones from the battlefield graphically stating their plight only proves that the terrorists are in a state of despair, "hopelessness" and that their end of resistance is in sight.