Interaction program on "On Going Conflict and Children"

Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal (NCBL) organized An Interaction program on "On Going Conflict and Children" on 2 April 2004 in Kathmandu. Former Parliamentarians, local leaders and human rights organizations were participated in that program.

The following problems of children were raised in that program:

• The landmines are found in the way to school, field, playground also. Children are being victims of landmines.
• Children have not only physical disabilities, but they have mental depression. They have seen their guardians and parents are arrested, hijacked and killed
• They lost the capacity of study, because of injury by landmines and they lost physical strength
• They have fear from security forces and Maoists
• They lost their parents, food and shelter
• Children are also displaced, they lost their home, they are forced to leave school
• People do not want to go back and work again where the incident happened
• Most of the people who killed in the conflict are breadwinner
• Children have malnutrition and problem of health
• The schools are converted in army barracks. It is difficult to study with concentrate
• Children have feeling of insecurity
• People and children want to be silent with security forces, Maoist and other people
• Children have depression with military behavior. Security forces used to check students when they inter the school premises, if they became absent they have to report, if they forget to bring their identity card they have to return back from school
  
  Recommendations:
• To launch Mine Risk Education Program
• To rescue the victims, to launch rehabilitation program. For this it is necessary to collaborate other organization, to lobby the government, to make networking to different human rights organizations and build strength in this conflict situation.
  Education opportunity should be given. Food and shelter should be manage for the displaced children and children who are living in risk situation.