LEELA ON CHILD RIGHTS ISSUES

Coverage by local media on right to education

Right to life stir shuts Manipur educational institutions for 2 months

sources- Times of India, New Delhi

NEW DELHI: In the time of Right to Education Act, Innovation Universities of world class, public-private partnership and all the excitement in the Capital about the big education revolution in the offing, one thing has gone unnoticed: for nearly two months all educational institutions -- from schools to university -- in Manipur are shut.

In fact, agitationists protesting against the extra-judicial killing of 27-year-old Chongkham Sanjit by security forces in July have tweaked the motto of Right to Education. The new slogan is, `No right to life, no right to education'. While the Central government, especially HRD ministry, has the standard excuse of education being part of the concurrent list, the state government's attempt to negotiate with various agitating groups has borne no fruit so far. HRD minister Kapil Sibal says, "Whatever be the situation children's education should not suffer. These are vital years." State government officials are not willing to come on record. Few who agree to talk only say, "Schools and colleges in the valley are closed but those in hill districts are functioning." As per 2007-08 data, Manipur has 2,751 primary and upper primary schools. Leaders of All Manipur Students Union, Kangleipak Students Association and Manipur Students Federation mock at government's claim that schools outside the valley is functioning. "Government schools in the valley are open but no child is attending them," says one student leader.

Pradip Phanjoubam, editor of the `Imphal Free Press', the state's largest circulated English daily, makes a similar point. "The state government is at loss on what to do next. Parents are insecure and no one wants to send their children to school." He also does not agree with the state government's view that schools and colleges in the hill districts are unaffected. According to him, schools in the hills are equally paralysed. An attempt by Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur, All Manipur Students' Guardians Organisation (AMSGO) and All Tribal Students Union of Manipur for resumption of classes has not borne any fruit. A few days back, some schools opened but were burnt down.

CRY calls for immediate action

Source-The Sangai Express
http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/News_pages/Local_page-09.html

IMPHAL, Oct 4: CRY called for immediate action primarily from the State as well as civil society organisations to stop the violence due to insurgency and counter insurgency operations in Manipur in view of the negative impact on children. Children are paying the price of the decades long violence in Manipur, either directly from bullets or indirectly by being pushed into poverty, illiteracy and malnourishment because of a combined failure of basic facilities such as schools and health centres, said a press release.Commenting on the recent bullet injury of 16 years old Irengbam Itamba, who got caught in an Army-insurgent crossfire, CRY’s director Dipankar Mazumdar said, “We can clearly see that children are becoming the most direct victims of violence in Manipur. Because there are no schools, they are getting recruited as child soldiers and child labours, suffering lives of malnourishment and growing up without protection and education. The State has the responsibility, along with the public, to stop it.”CRY called for the National bodies such as National Commission for the protection of rights of children and the respective Ministries to step in, to resolve the situation while keeping children’s needs at the top.It added that the extra judicial powers vested to the Army needs to be thoroughly re-examined to ensure that children do not suffer from violence and trauma. Effective implemen-tation of Juvenile Justice System as per the provisions of Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act, 2000 and its amendments enacted in 2006, CRY added.It demanded the State authorities to invest in public facilities, infrastruc-ture and rights-related services such as primary healthcare, provision of Anti Retroviral Therarpy (ART) for children and schooling. This approach needs to prioritised above the military approach to problem-solving in Manipur, it added. CRY is working in three most violence affected districts of Chandel, Thoubal and Churachandpur in the State.

for urgent action for kids affected by violence in Manipur

Source-Imphal Free Press
http://ifp.co.in/shownews.php?newsid=5802

by Satya Gopal DeyKolkata,

Nov 3: Child Rights and You, CRY through a nationwide press release called for immediate action by the state as well as civil society groups to bring an end to violence resulting from insurgency and counter insurgency operations in Manipur in view of the negative impact on children. It said Children are paying the price of the decades-long violence in Manipur, either directly from bullets or indirectly by being pushed into poverty, illiteracy and malnourishment because of a combined failure of basics such as schools and health centers.Commenting on the recent bullet injury of 16 years old Irengbam Itamba, who got caught in an army-insurgent crossfire, CRY’s Director Dipankar Mazumder said, “We can clearly see that children are becoming the most direct victims of violence incontd on page 4CRY for urgent action for kids affected by violence in Manipurcontd from page 1Manipur. Because there are no schools, they are getting recruited as child soldiers and child labourers, suffering lives of malnourishment and growing up without protection and education. The State has the responsibility, along with the public, to stop this.” On being apprised about the CRY’s Press release and while talking over phone to the Kolkata correspondent of Imphal Free Press, Mr. A.B. Bardhan, General Secretary of Communist Party of India stated “in any kind of conflict situation the victims are general people and among them the worst sufferers are Children and women”.CRY is working in three of the most violence affected districts in Manipur, Chandel, Thoubal and Churachandpur, to form children’s protection groups and conduct play-workshops to inspire confidence and instil trust among the multi-ethnic groups. Ashim Ghosh Head of Manipur state from CRY stated, “Children are bought up in an environment predominantly governed by fear, secrecy, uncertainty and violence which is not conducive for them to think, decide, speak and act positively. Our workshops are a first step try and create safe spaces for children.” The problems of Manipur compounding the difficulties are the non-existent social services: roads that have been blown up, no schools or schools are being closed, non functioning anganwadis, very few hospitals and almost no equipped health centers. Most deliveries are home births without trained dais or medical attention. Births are not registered and birth certificates are not in place. Increasing number of orphan children and children of dysfunctional families, due to recurrent conflicts and effect of HIV/AIDS. Children do not have safe spaces to play or interact. Through the press release CRY highlighted some demands and calls for the National bodies such as the National Commission for the Protection of Rights of Children and the respective Ministries to step in, to resolve the situation while keeping children’s needs at the top. The extra judicial powers vested with the army needs to be thoroughly re-examined to ensure that children do not suffer from violence and trauma. Effective implementation of Juvenile Justice System as per the provisions of Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act, 2000 and its amendments enacted in 2006.State authorities must invest in public facilities, infrastructure and rights-related services such as primary healthcare, provision of Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) for children and schooling. This approach needs to be prioritized above the military approach to problem-solving in Manipur.