How to Save Children in Armed Conflicts?

NEPAL – Minors to be discharged from Maoist cantonments

Kathmandu, 5 December 2008 – The Prime Minister of Nepal Mr. Pushpa Kamal
Dahal today agreed to move forward on the discharge of nearly 3,000 Maoist army elements disqualified as minors remaining in Maoist army cantonments, in cooperation with UNMIN and the UN Country Team in Nepal.  This was announced by Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, during her press conference, which concluded her six-day visit to the country.

The  commitment  of  the Government is in line with the Comprehensive PeaceAgreement  and  responds  to  Security  Council  recommendations within theframework  of  Resolution 1612 on the issue of children and armed conflict.

All children should have been released immediately after the signing of the
Comprehensive  Peace  Agreement in 2006. During her visit, Ms. Coomaraswamy
interacted with children in a cantonment site.

“The UN country team stands ready to support former CPN-M child combatants
to  resume  civilian  life  as  they look to their future in a new peaceful
Nepal,”  said  the  Special  Representative, referring to the reintegration
packages  developed  by  UNICEF  and  UNDP  which  would be

1. tailored to the children’s  needs,  skills and long-term aspirations,
2. in collaboration with civil society and
3. in compliance with international standards and guidelines including the Paris Principles.

Ms.  Coomaraswamy  also welcomed the readiness of the Government to address
and  prevent  the  misuse  of children for political purposes, particularly
their  use  in  political  violence.   Both  the CPN-M and the UML told the
Special  Representative that they were beginning discussions on how to work
together to deal with the problem of political violence by youth wings.

The Special Representative also raised concerns regarding the impact of the
continuing  unrest  on  children  in  the Terai.

1. Armed groups and
2. criminal gangs  act  with  total impunity in parts of this region.

Ms. Coomaraswamy said  that  during  her  visit she met with children who had been forced to flee  the  ongoing  violence,  and had become displaced as a result.  Other children  had  run  away  from  their  homes,  fearing recruitment by armed groups.  They  were  also  afraid of threats against their families if they refused  to join. “Do not forget the children of the Terai,” one schoolgirl in Biratnagar told the Special Representative.
“Impunity  for  violence must stop and the rule of law must return to Nepal
for  peace  to  be  given  a  chance and for children to live in security,”
stated  Ms.  Coomaraswamy.  She  said that the commitment of Prime Minister
Dahal to address the case of Maina Sunuwar as a priority is a symbolic step
forward. Maina Sunuwar, a fifteen year-old girl, was tortured and killed in
February 2004 while in custody of the Nepalese Army.

Ms.   Coomaraswamy  also  discussed  the  issue  of  transitional  justice,
including  the  need for provisions that provide justice for child victims, and to incorporate child friendly procedures and ensure their participation in the peace process.

“The protection and the needs of all the children affected by the conflict
should be an integral part of Government policies at national, regional and
community  level,”  said  Mrs.  Gillian  Mellsop, UNICEF Representative for
Nepal,  who  was  also  attending  the  press  conference. She welcomed the drafting  of  the  Child  Rights  Bill, which addresses the use of children associated  with  armed  forces  and armed groups. UNICEF advocates for the participation  of  children  in  the  development  of  the new constitution through the creation of a Children’s Forum in the Constituent Assembly.

“Children  are  eager  to play a key role in the creation of a new peaceful Nepal.  The  United  Nations  and  the Government of Nepal are committed to supporting  them  in  shaping their future free of violence,” concluded Ms. Coomaraswamy.

The Special Representative undertook her visit to Nepal in follow-up to the
recommendations  of  the  Security  Council on the situation of children in
Nepal  within the framework of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005). The
visit  was  organized  the  United  Nations  Mission  in  Nepal  (UNMIN) in
collaboration  with  the  UN  Country  team including UNICEF, UNDP, and the
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

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For further information, please contact:

Ms.  Laurence  Gérard,  Communications Officer, Office of the
Special  Representative  of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed
Conflict.      Phone:      +1     347-967-8606-     gerardl@un.org     –
www.un.org/children/conflict
Kosmos Biswokarma, Senior Media Officer,  United Nations
Mission in Nepal (UNMIN)
Phone: +977-1-5010036, Ext: 2235, Mobile tel.: +977-98511 01959 –
biswokarma@un.org
John Brittain, Chief, Communication  United Nations for
Children’s Funds (UNICEF) Phone :
+977 – 1 5523 200 Ext. 1179 – Jbrittain@unicef.org – cell: +977- 98519
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