Negative impact of conflict on kids' edn
Source: The Sangai Express / Ng Liklaileima

Imphal, November 13: Even if it is universally recognised as the inherent needs of the children to grow up in a family environment under the protective care of their parents, to go school for education and develop their hidden talents, many children living in a conflict situation like Manipur have not been able to go to school and play around without any fear.

Apart from atrocities and crimes being committed against them, children in Manipur are being exposed to the harsh realities of life living in a conflict situation since early in life.

Desertion of village in search of safer places following communal clashes or gun battle between two underground groups and the retributive action of the security forces on the people of the surrounding in the aftermath of any ambush led by underground activists, etc have had a deep impact not just on the mental development of the children but also on their physical well-being.

On the contrary, Article 29, 1 (a) of the Convention on the rights of the child, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on November 20, 1989 and which has also been endorsed by the Government of India on December 11, 1992, stated that along with education of the child, the State parties should ensure development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.

Children with their elders flee their homes to escape the battle

Moreover, Article 32, I of the Convention said that the State parties should recognise the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development.

Now, thequestion is how far the children in the Indian State of Manipur are today living in consonance with the Articles of the Convention.

Saichang and Bongyang are two neighbouring villages located 75 kms from Imphal under Saikul Block of Senapati district.

Heavy gun battle which broke out between two Kuki UG groups in the morning of Oct 18 this year, led to exodus of the panic stricken villagers to Itham Moirangpurel in Imphal East district.

Among those who fled and took shelter in the makeshift camp set up for them at Itham Moirang purel, there were 30 students.

Talking to The Sangai Express, one of girl who is just 13 years of age and studying in class VIII said, ''It has been almost 2 weeks that we have not been able to attend school and this is not the first time that we could not go to school due to fighting among the UGs''.

Coming from a farmer's family, the young student who is the fourth daughter of nine siblings of five sons and four daughters, '' I am roll no.4 of my class and have been study hard to secure roll no.in class IX.

But now I can not go to school or read by books in peace''.

Recounting about incident of gun battle on that day, the girl student said, '' After the morning meal, we were on our way to school when all of a sudden the firing broke.

All of us ran not knowing which direction we were heading.

I came across a hole in the ground and hide there.

One of the bullets hit the tree growing near the hole and I was so afraid''.

Even after the firing ceased, the girl dared not come out from her hiding place nor go back to her house.

Remembering what her father had told them about fleeing to Itham Moirangpurel to save their lives in case of outbreak of firing in the village, she made up her mind and came ran covering a distance of 2 kms on the hilly tract to reach the nearest safest place.

There she found other villagers and reunited with her family members.

'After that harrowing experience, I got frighten of any loud noise', she added.

Another girl student, who is just 10 years of age, said, ''After the death of my father, I stop going to school.

I help my sisters in the Pamlou''.

It may be recalled that on that fateful day, one woman who was coming out to collect the cloths drying near her house was hit by a bullet.

There has been numerous other instances of children being denied their rights and rightful place in the society.

The incident of kidnapping of Baby Lungnila Elizabeth, daughter of former Minister Francis Ngajokpa, and her subsequent brutal murder as well as that of recovery of skeleton remains of Moheni Martin and Hrinii Herbert, two children studying in class III in Don Bosco School, Senapati, after having kidnapped by unidentified persons are still fresh in the mind of the people of Manipur.