Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, December 04 2009:
Insurgents in the state should declare that they will abide by the declaration of Convention of the Rights of Child (CRC) which India government had also agreed to follow, assisted member of the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC), Ng Nongyai today.
He insisted it speaking at the advocacy meeting on "Status of Children in Conflict with Law" organized by the Coalition on Children's Rights to Protection (CCRP), Manipur at the conference hall of the MHRC today.
Nongyai further said that as since the insurgency problems of the state is a political problem, insurgency outfits should take up step to bring a solution through political means.
In the existing conflict situation, he insisted, larger outfits like the PLA should declared that they will abide by the article 3 of the universal declaration as rights of the children are depriving in the border state hit by prevailing conflict, HIV, drug and poverty.
In the protection of rights of the children participation of police department, authorities of the government, civil societies should also take part fully, he observed stressing the need of protection of rights of the children.
Participating in the advocacy meeting Ph Bhageshwori, assistant public prosecutor said if there is difference of opinion about a person apprehended by the police with regard to his status of being child or adult, ossification certificate issued by a doctor after testing should be the final.
Person of below 18 year of age should be trial under Juvenile Justice Act by the authority concerns, she added.
Y Devadutta observed that in Manipur even though the person arrested by police is a child of below 18 year of age there is a rare case of going to court claiming the person is a child.