Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the UN Murari Raj Sharma has drawn the attention of the UN Security Council towards the forceful recruitment of children by the Maoists in their combat forces in Nepal.
In an apparent reference to the forceful abduction of 80 school children in west Nepal recently, Sharma said children are being used as human shields by the underground Maoists during their confrontation with the security forces.
Speaking at the meeting on children and armed conflict, Sharma said the forceful recruitment of children in the fighting forces of the Maoists had set back the clock of development in Nepal.
“The Maoists have been called to the negotiating table, but they have yet to emerge as a credible partner for peace,” Sharma said. Nepal is committed to protecting children in armed conflict and has no children in its security forces.”
“It has established programmes to rehabilitate children who had escaped the Maoist trap, but it would need international endeavour in that front,” Sharma said. He further said that despite international instruments, children continue to face misery and death in armed conflicts.
The international community has been incoherent in its response to conflicts, and coherent action is often prevented by political considerations. Sharma stressed the need to punish the perpetrators of violence against children.
“Clearing of landmines was urgent and should receive adequate funding. Effective control of small arms was also necessary. Juvenile justice should constitute an important part of national and international
courts to deal with child soldiers. While a tailor made response was essential to the solution of conflict, the root causes of conflict, such as eradication of poverty and dispensation of justice must also be addressed,” Sharma said.