July 09, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 5, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 8: The Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) has condemned the wave of terrorism across the country jeopardising the lives and property of innocent civilians, especially children.

In a statement on Tuesday SPARC said absence of a proper mechanism on child protection was a hindrance in ensuring well being of children in conflicts where large scale internal migration is also rampant.

Children are the worst hit in conflicts and emergencies, for they are naive and dependent on elders. For these entrapped children, the immediate survival needs are food, shelter and healthcare.

The government must make sure that children are being protected from conflicts. Well equipped child protection centres are important to be established in troubled areas like Swat, tribal areas and other conflict zones.

National policy and plan of action for children provides a set of guidelines for protection of children in armed conflict but there is no implementation.

Unfortunately the national plan of action does not have provincial plan of action and no implementation mechanism exists to date, said Mr Qindeel Shujaat, Executive Director SPARC.

According to SPARC’s Child Rights Committee (CRC) Swat, more than a dozen under-age boys have gone missing in Kabal Tehsil (sub-district). Three of the students went mysteriously missing from a private hostel whereas the remaining were students of different madrassahs.

Majority of the children is between the ages of 13-16, according to police officials. The officials fear use of these children in suicide bombings and other destructive activities. The upsurge in kidnapping of children is a cause of concern for parents. On the other hand, the district government has gone underground in the present situation, leaving people largely on their own.

Shaukat Salim, the district coordinator of the CRC Swat expressed concern over use of children in the gruesome acts of violence. Mr Salim said that about 25 to 30 madrassah students, aged between seven and 15, had been used by leaders of extremist outfits in Swat to carry out attacks.

These children have been detained by security forces and are being held at Swat District Jail. Six other students from a madrassah in the Kabal Tehsil (sub-district) have been apprehended by the police for their alleged involvement in an attempted suicide attack. Salim also cited the story of Abid, 12, who had been forced to wear a suicide bomb jacket with which he was to blow up the district courts. He was also caught and is among those being held at Swat jail.

On the other hand, children’s most fundamental right— education — has suffered a major setback in the tribal areas and the North West Frontier Province. In Swat only, ten girls’ schools, including five middle and five primary schools were burnt to rubble in a day by militants.

The furniture and precious record was hence reduced to ashes. Upon intervention of SPARC CRC, the education department has confirmed the damage. The never ending burning of girls’ schools has heightened fear and a large number of female students have discontinued their education. Thus, they are being deterred from enjoying the right of education.