Developments in Nepal
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) in November 2006, as well as the separate Agreement on Monitoring and Management of Arms and Armies (AMMAA) signed in December 2006, prohibit both parties from recruiting or using persons under 18. They also set out phased plans for registration of Maoist combatants, and the discharge of persons born after 25 May 1988 from the Maoist Army. By January 2007, more than 31,000 Maoist personnel were cantoned and enumerated in 28 sites across the country.
With the end of active conflict, there has been a significant decrease in reports of grave violations of children's rights. Reports of violations by the government's security forces have seen a particularly marked decrease, and large recruitment drives by the CPN-M have come to an end. The Nepal CTFMR documented over a thousand cases of children recruited by the CPN-M and its affiliates between October and December 2006. Many of these children ended up in Maoist Army cantonments, and over 300 were released without follow-up or official documentation, after spending a few days at these sites.
Militias linked to the CPN-M and Nepal Army are no longer operational, but many personnel from the CPN-M, Maoist Army and militia have joined the Maoist Young Communist League (YCL), which was re-established in December 2006. Some of those joining the YCL are under 18. The YCL carries out social programmes, as well as activities that parallel those of the security forces, aimed at enforcing laws or punishing social crimes. The presence of children in the YCL and youth wings of other political parties is a cause for concern because of deep politicisation of children and youth during the conflict.
Although the use of schools for military purposes has decreased with the end of the conflict, 40 incidents of inappropriate use of schools were reported between October 2006 and June 2007, with 25 of the 40 occurring in the Mid-western region. There are also serious concerns regarding the Government's commitment to ending impunity and ensuring accountability for serious human rights violations. An increasing number of reports indicate that the Nepal Police refuse to register or investigate serious crimes committed during and after the conflict. The Government believes that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as referred to in the CPA, will address the issues of ending impunity, if and when established.
Parties in Nepal
Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M)
This party has also been responsible for abducting children in the reporting period.
For more information, visit the UNICEF and Watchlist/CAAC websites.
Press Release by the Special Representative:
* Information based on the 2007 report of the Secretary General to the Security Council (A/62/609-S/2007/757) issued on 21 December 2007