Children increasingly used as weapons of war: UNICEF
United Nations: Children caught in war zones are increasingly being used as weapons of war -- recruited to fight, forced to act as suicide bombers, and used as human shields, Unicef has warned.
In a statement late Wedensday summarising 2017 as a brutal year for children caught in conflict, Unicef said parties to conflicts were blatantly disregarding international humanitarian law and children were routinely coming under attack, reports the Guardian.
Rape, forced marriage, abduction and enslavement had become standard tactics in conflicts across Iraq, Syria and Yemen, as well as in Nigeria, South Sudan and Myanmar.
Some children, abducted by extremist groups, are abused again by security forces when they are released. Others are indirectly harmed by fighting, through malnutrition and disease, as access to food, water and sanitation are denied or restricted.
Some 27 million children in conflict zones have been forced out of school.
"Children are being targeted and exposed to attacks and brutal violence in their homes, schools and playgrounds," said Manuel Fontaine, Unicef's director of emergency programmes.
"As these attacks continue year after year, we cannot become numb. Such brutality cannot be the new normal."
In Iraq and Syria children have reportedly been used as human shields, trapped under siege and targeted by snipers, while in Afghanistan nearly 700 children were killed in fighting in the first nine months of the year, the Guardian quoted the Unicef statement as saying.
Rohingya children in Myanmar were subject to systematic violence and driven from their homes. More than half of the 650,000 Rohingya forced over the border into Bangladesh are under 18.
The Unicef statement has called on all parties in conflicts to respect international humanitarian law and immediately end violations against children and the targeting of civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. The agency also called on states with influence over non-state parties to conflict to use their influence to protect children.
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Will meet President Droupadi Murmu on Malayalam imposition: Karnataka Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Kannada and Culture Minister of Karnataka, Shivaraj Tangadagi, on Friday said a delegation from the state will meet President Droupadi Murmu to protect the Kannadigas in Kasargod of Kerala against the Malayalam imposition on them.
He also said due to the Kerala government's Malayalam Language Bill, the border regions having Kannada population are in trouble.
Speaking to reporters, Tangadagi said that according to article 350(b) of the Indian constitution, linguistic minorities should be protected, Kerala-Kasaragod linguistic officer should be appointed and the opinion of people living there should be taken.
“The Malayalam Language Bill sent to the Governor for assent has put the Kannadigas in the border towns in trouble. We will meet the President of India Droupadi Murmu and apprise her about the development,” the minister said.
According to him, there are about 7.5 lakh Kannadigas in Kasargod region of Kerala. There are about 210 Kannada schools functioning in the border regions.
“Injustice should not be meted out to the Kannadigas. We also will not let it happen. I am also considering to send a team to Kasaragod,” the Minister said.
The Karnataka Border Area Development Authority (KBADA) secretary Prakash Mattihalli met Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and apprised him about the situation. He has also requested him not to give assent to the bill, Tangadagi said.
“I will also take the matter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s notice and on the measures to be taken,” he said.
