PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Myanmar has strongly denied the claims made in a United Nations (UN) report on the recruitment of child soldiers and the ill-treatment of minors in the ongoing civil conflict in the country.
The UN Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict report for 2024 said the huge number of violations against children inflicted by all groups involved in the war is worrying.
The report, released in June, said the UN verified 2,138 grave violations against 1,762 children last year and 121 violations that occurred in previous years.
In addition, the UN received reports of some 1,200 grave violations that are pending verification.
Responding to these claims, Myanmar’s Committee on Prevention of Grave Violations against Children in Armed Conflict said the accusations laid against the country were misleading and false.
“Myanmar firmly rejects the distorted figures and baseless accusations contained in the report. Myanmar remains committed to exerting its utmost efforts to safeguard the rights and safety of children,” the committee said in a statement published in the state media The Global New Light of Myanmar on Friday.
Myanmar called on the UN to adopt a balanced, credible and constructive approach while issuing reports.
The UN alleged that violations committed by military forces and militias include the denial of humanitarian access, the abduction of children to fight in the conflict, and attacks on schools and hospitals.
However, the Myanmar commission said that as of last December, only 98 cases involving minors were reported to the relevant authorities.
Ninety-three minors were verified and have been discharged and returned to their guardians or parents, with financial support, while 18 suspected cases related to minors are still under investigation.
Armed ethnic conflict, involving groups fighting for self-determination, has dominated parts of Myanmar for decades and the military coup in February 2021 has only aggravated the situation.
The UN estimates that over three million people have been displaced since the military seized power. – BERNAMA
