More than 25,000 children displaced by violence
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 27 2024: More than 25,000 children have been displaced by the violent crisis besieging Manipur since May 3, 2023 and their rights are being violated repeatedly.

This was stated by Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) Chairperson Keisham Pradipkumar at a media workshop held on the 64th birth anniversary of Khelen Thokchom held at Manipur Press Club today under the aegis of Khelen Thokchom Trust (KTT) in collaboration with MCPCR and Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA) .

More than 25,000 children displaced by violence

Pradipkumar said that bringing children who are suffering from separation from their parents, displacement from their homes and associated trauma to social media platforms in the name of helping them or charity works is quite wrong from the perspective of child rights.

A large number of families have lost all their homes and properties to the protracted crisis and they have been taking shelter at different places.

In the name of seeking aid from the public, some people have been uploading videos, pictures and personal details of displaced children on social media.

Asking highly sentimental questions to these children who have been uprooted from their homes, some people have been uploading video recordings of these children with phone numbers seeking aid from the public.

The men/women who shot and uploaded such videos might have noble intentions but it is totally wrong from the perspective of child rights, the MCPCR Chairperson said.

Such activities not only violate the privacy of the displaced children but also portray them as objects of charity, he said.

All children are future pillars of the society and they have their rights.

So it is advisable to stop portraying the displaced children as bereft of human rights on social media, he continued.

Very little public discussion and deliberation on the rights of children affected by the violence have been seen so far, Pradipkumar said.

He pointed out that the displaced children have been facing all kinds of challenges including education and their future careers.

Speaking during the technical session held on the theme "Protection of Child Rights in Conflict", Advocate Thiyam Rajkishore said that news reports of sexual assaults involving children should be edited properly so that the reports do not harm the children physically, morally or mentally.

It is not permitted for print and electronic media to publish/telecast blurred images or videos of the child victims, he said.

The real name of a child victim of POCSO case cannot be mentioned even in police reports submitted to Court.

Instead, a fictitious name should be used and the same applies to publication of news reports, Advocate Rajkishore said.

If there are compelling reasons to submit the real name of the child victim to Court, the name should be submitted in a sealed envelope, he said.

Child rights is an important aspect of society and everybody need to have a clear understanding of child rights.

It is the duty of adults to protect the rights of children and the media should take a big role in protecting child rights, he asserted.

Journalist Leivon Jimmy Lamkang spoke on the POCSO Act and JJ Act.

AMWJU president Bijoy Kakchingtabam, EGM president Khogendra Khomdram, KTT advisor and Imphal Free Press Chief Editor Irengbam Arun and KTT president Thokchom Mem-cha attended the media workshop as presidium members where people paid floral tributes to late journalist Khelen Thokchom.

The media workshop will conclude on Monday.