Child soldiers

Eighteen years after the ceasefire and 28 years after the Maoist launched their armed struggle, Nepal is still discussing transitional justice for war crimes. The Supreme Court has ruled on transitional justice that includes the case of child soldiers.

Maoist leaders like Pushpa Kamal Dahal and former leaders like Baburam Bhattarai have maintained that conflict era cases should be the responsibility of the transitional justice mechanism and not the regular court system.

Former child soldiers have filed a case in the Supreme Court against Dahal and Bhattarai demanding punitive damages for recruiting them as child combatants.

Even 20 years ago this week, correspondent Naresh Newar had this page 1 report on child soldiers on Nepali Times issue #159 22-28 August 2003. Excerpts:

Children bear the brunt of war, but they don't even figure in peace talks. Worried about the neglect shown by the government and the Maoists to the plight of children in conflict, more than 24 child rights groups in Nepal have united for their protection and welfare.

Of the 226 children killed in the conflict since 1996, more than half were under 15. According to the rights group, INSEC, the Maoists were responsible for 75 killed while security forces killed 151. In the third round of peace talks in Nepalganj this week, neither side thought it important to regret, apologise or even mention this fact.

In 2002, the Maoists beheaded 14-year-old Raju Tharu in Bhimapur in Bardia. They left a note on his body warning other 'spies' would meet the same fate. In the village of Guthu in Surkhet, 14-year-old Prem Jainsi was shot dead by the army in his classroom. No one knows why. Even after the January ceasefire, 14 children have been killed: three by the army, four by the Maoists and five from booby traps or abandoned ammunition.

For archived material of Nepali Times of the past 20 years, site search: nepalitimes.com