A human rights group in Sri Lanka says the ceasefire between the government and Tamil Tiger separatists is allowing the rebels to forcibly recruit more child soldiers.

The [monitors] are in part responsible for misjudgements

University Teachers for Human Rights

The University Teachers for Human Rights group said in a report that child recruitment continues despite the Tigers' promise not to use underage combatants.

The report said that the five-month cessation of violence had enabled Tiger guerrillas to enter previously inaccessible urban areas.

The Tamil Tigers have repeatedly denied the use of child soldiers, and assured the United Nations Children's Fund last month that no one under the age of 18 would be recruited.

The human rights group, Amnesty International, has warned that the forcible recruitment of children has continued despite the ceasefire, and called for more to be done to stop the practice.

Monitors criticised

The University Teachers report said that rebels were frequently demanding one child from each household, particularly in the eastern Batticaloa region.

The Tigers have promised not to recruit children

"Now that the LTTE is allowed free access to the government controlled areas, families who were living in relative peace earlier are now facing a choice between giving a child or money, or being branded traitors who have no right to live there," the report said.

It also said the Tigers need at least 3,000 recruits annually to keep their numbers at desired levels.

The group also criticised Scandinavian-led truce monitors for not doing enough to stop the recruiting.

"The [monitors] are in part responsible for misjudgements that have enabled the LTTE to widen the scope of child conscription under the cover of peace," the report said.

Four years ago, the rebels promised the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, that they would not recruit child soldiers.

Mr Otunnu is due to visit Sri Lanka again in August.

The Sri Lankan Government and the rebels signed a permanent truce in January, aimed at paving the way for peace talks to end two decades of civil war.

Peace talks between the two sides are due to be held in Thailand, but no firm start date has as yet been confirmed.