The voices against the recruiting of children by a section of Northeast India based militant outfits become loud and clear. The disturbing development that surfaced since April in the troubled region has already provoked the civil society and advocacy groups, who are in unanimous that engaging young boys and girls in armed training is a crime. The place of happening, primarily the State of Manipur, has witnessed nearly 45 adolescents are being kidnapping by the militants for using them as child soldiers.
Serious concern has been expressed by the human rights organisations from abroad too. Naga International Support Center (NISC), an Amsterdam based organisation has also come out with strong words condemning the kidnapping of children and demanding stringent punishment for the culprits. It also urged all sensible people of the region to stand up and raise their voices against these devilish acts once and for all.
"Seizing children to train as soldiers for respective armies is deplorable yet has reached unfathomable heights. Most probably these criminals think that their right to self determination supersedes all individual rights but are in fact flagrant violations of individual human rights. This misconception strongly deserves strong condemnation and direct action by the authorities should be against these abominable acts," the NISC agued in a recent statement.
It also asserted that 'not only the children themselves are forced to grow up with guns to fight for a cause they have no say in but also the desperate parents of these children fall victim to those unscrupulous people'. Our hearts, it adds, go out to parents and relatives and all children who suffer from being treated like slaves.
While demanding immediate actions from the United Nations on the issue, the NISC declared, "Children are the future, they are the pillars of tomorrow. It is our duty as parents, as society and as international community to protect them from evil forces. Because the Naga International Support Center is a human rights organisation we cannot idly sit and watch children being used, abused and ultimately enslaved. Today many mothers weep for they lost sons and daughters. All in Manipur should rise to speak out against this anomaly."
Earlier the Manipur Non-government Organisation Forum decided to fight against the kidnapping and recruitment of children as soldiers in the State. The forum also constituted an allied force to organise awareness campaigning against child kidnapping in different villages and localities in Manipur. The common people in general and women and school going children of Manipur in particular had organised demonstrations against the trend.
It is understood that nearly three hundred thousand children in approximately 17 countries around the globe are being forced to participate in the war. These children, who have been denied a childhood and even subjected to horrific violence, serve as soldiers for both the government and rebel groups. Equipped with sophisticated arms, these soldiers work as carriers (of messages and supplies to the conflict zones) and also as human mine detectors. Many times, they are being used as suicide bombers.
The disturbing trend has reached the insurgency stricken Northeast for the first time and the finger of suspicion is targeted at two banned armed groups of Manipur namely People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and Prepak Cobra Task Force. Unconfirmed media reports describe that PREPAK leader claimed to engage the children in arm training with their consent (and not by kidnapping or threatening the children at gun points).
The Manipur police chief Y. Joykumar Singh declared that the armed groups were in shortage of matured youths to join their organisations and hence, out of desperation, they start recruiting under aged youths. However, the Manipur chief minister O. Ibobi Singh was seen helpless at the development, who could only appeal to the parents to remain cautious. Of course, all the political parties in the State had come forward condemning the acts of the militants. They had also expressed their commitment to extend full cooperation the government while dealing with the issue of child kidnapping.
By Nava Thakuria
The author is a Guwahati, Assam, based independent journalist writes for various newspapers and portals. He can be reached at navathakuria@gmail.com
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