‘Grave violations’: UN chief asks India to stop using pellets against Kashmiri children

• UN chief alarmed at detention and torture of children in Kashmir by Indian forces.
• Asks India to stop using pellet guns against children.
• Antonio Guterres urges India to ensure implementation of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed his concern over “grave violations” against children in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) and called upon the Narendra Modi-led government to take preventive measures to protect children, by ending the use of pellets against them.

The call was made by the UN chief in the annual report on Children and Armed Conflict, which was launched last week by his Special Representative on the subject, Virginia Gamba.

“I remain concerned by grave violations against children in Jammu and Kashmir and call upon the Government to take preventive measures to protect children, including by ending the use of pellets against children, ensuring that children are not associated in any way to security forces, and endorsing the Safe Schools Declaration and the Vancouver Principles,” the secretary-general said in the report.

“I am alarmed at the detention and torture of children and concerned by the military use of schools,” he said, noting that seven schools were used for four months by Indian security forces.

“I urge the (Indian) Government to ensure that children are detained as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time, and to prevent all forms of ill-treatment in detention,” the secretary-general added.

Antonio Guterres also urged the Indian government to ensure the implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, to address the use of children for illegal activities and the situation of detained children.

‘Shocking and heartbreaking’

According to the UN report, a total of 39 children (33 boys, 6 girls) were killed and maimed (9 killed and 30 maimed by pellet guns) and several casualties in other actions, including 13 during crossfire and shelling across the Line of Control.

In an open UN Security Council debate on Monday on Children in Conflict, held virtually, the UN chief said that disregard for children’s rights amid war and upheaval “is shocking and heartbreaking”.

Guterres urged warring parties to prioritize the prevention of violations against boys and girls and called on countries to support their protection at all times.

“There is no place for children in conflict, and we must not allow conflict to trample on the rights of children”, he said.

It revealed that last year, grave violations were committed against some 19,300 youngsters affected by fighting in also countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Recruitment and use in hostilities remained the top violations, followed by killing and maiming, and denial of humanitarian access.

Pakistan expresses ‘grave concern’

In a speech submitted to the 15-member council, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative, Ambassador Aamir Khan, drew the Council’s attention to the secretary-general’s latest report expressing “grave concern” over the situation of Kashmiri children.

“We are not surprised by the findings of the Secretary-General’s report,” Ambassador Aamir Khan said.

He said the secretary-general had rightly urged the Indian government to “immediately end” such practices and take “preventive measures” to protect children, including by “ending the use of pellets against children” in IIOJK.

“Despite the persistent concerns raised by multiple Special Rapporteurs and Mandate Holders of the Human Rights Council and the SRSG on Children and Armed Conflict, the human rights and humanitarian situations continues to deteriorate for the innocent children of IIOJK since 05 August 2019,’ he said.