180 recruited as 'child soldiers'
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 11 2014 : Different underground organizations recruited as many as 180 minors as 'child soldiers" during the last eight years in Churachandpur district.

According to a report made available to the Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) by Observation Home, M Ramthar in Churachandpur, 287 cases of children were registered in Churachandpur alone in the past eight years and among them 180 cases were related with child soldiers recruited by different underground organizations.

A team of MACR visited Churachandpur and inspected the Observation Home at M Ramthar, Priscilla Home at New Lamka and Only Grace Home at Vengnuam.

During the visit, the team led by MACR convenor Keisham Pradeep found the three homes running with financial assistance provided by private individuals only.

Two inmates, both boys aged about 13 years, were found staying in the Observation Home.

Earlier, they were arrested by the Army on the charge of working for a Kuki underground group.

The minor boys were later brought to the home after being produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) .

Nicky Thanga, who has been running the home, told the MACR team that a total of 287 child cases were recorded in Churachandpur in the last eight years and 180 of the total cases were related with child soldiers recruited by different underground outfits.

In the current year, 17 different cases of children were recorded in Churachandpur--seven were drug abuse related cases, two cases of sexual abuse and three cases of child soldiers, the MACR said citing report provided by Daniel Gangte, chairperson of Child Welfare Committee, Churachandpur.

According to Daniel Gangte, the three children homes in Churachandpur district are still deprived of assistance given under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme of the Social Welfare Department.

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