Citizens of Guwahati lit a candle each to protest against the brutal killing of children in BTAD, Assam. UTSAH – Universal Team for Social Action & Help founded by Miguel Das Queah, is an organisation seeking to create safer spaces for children who are in need of Care and Protection. Prominent denizens of Guwahati who took part in the vigil included Television anchor Florence Handique Rabha and educationist Angira Mimani.
"As a Child’s Rights body we condemn the killing of innocent children in the BTAD areas. We are deeply concerned about the protection of the children who are orphaned and the others who are displaced. We also apprehend various protection related problems of children like homelessness, child labour, some form of physical and mental abuse and most crucially, child trafficking. Children have been killed, are missing and are affected due to the violence in the BTAD area of Assam that has led to a human tragedy that touches everybody’s lives," says Shankardev Chowdhury, Vice Chairman, UTSAH.
Chowdhury adds, "We therefore urge the Assam government to undertake protection measures for the vulnerable children living in the aforementioned areas. We also suggest the government of Assam to deploy Child Protection Advisors and Specialists to monitor the situation in the BTAD areas and also train all the concerned stakeholders including the Gram Panchayats, Block Level Officials and Police Thanas with regard to Child Protection."
UTSAH also took a signatures on a petition which had certain demands. Chowdhury adds that as a Child Rights body, they foresee the likelihood of the following violations with regards to children:
1. Homelessness.
2. Mental Trauma and fear.
3. Prevalence of diseases like Dysentery, malaria, fever, dengue etc in relief camps.
4. Lack of adequate clothing
5. Education being stopped.
6. Child Labour
7. Trafficking
8. Lack of adequate food
9. Physical and Sexual Abuse
10. Lack of sanitation facilities
11. Child Deaths
And they demanded the following measures for securing a protective net over the children that the vulnerable in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts.
1. Notification to the concerned authorities to undertake special measures to protect children
2. Notification to concerned authorities to create accurate database of the number of children living in these areas
3. Facilitate interactions between Child Protection Advisors and the concerned stakeholders.
4. Deployment of Special Child Protection Unit to monitor the situation
5. Deployment of Civil Society to undertake relief measures
6. Deployment of Special Doctors, Psychiatrists and Counsellors for children
7. Deployment of Child Protection Police and Administrative Officers in all District Level, Sub Division Level, Block Level, Gram Panchayat Level and Thana Level for providing special assistance to Children.
8. To publish Reports to inform the public about the steps being taken and the progress of its implementation so that the plans undertaken become measurable.
In coherence with the United Nations Convention of 1989 and the Geneva Declaration of 1949, it becomes extremely important to undertake pro-active measures to secure the best interest of the children living in these fitful regions. It also becomes an obligation to promote respect for the rights and dignity of children and provide adequate assistance to alleviate the dangers and effect of conflict on children.