Mizzima

The physical and mental dangers for children in Myanmar was highlighted by the recent killing by security forces of a seven-year-old girl, shot at point blank range.

In the following interview, Marc Rubin, Regional Adviser Emergencies, UNICEF Bangkok, explains the challenges for UNICEF and its partner organizations in trying to protect children during the current crisis in Myanmar.  

Mr Rubin is based in Bangkok in the regional office for UNICEF for Asia and Pacific. UNICEF has been present in Myanmar and Burma for over 70 years. UNICEF’s main purpose when it comes to Myanmar is to help the country sustain and adhere to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed in 1989, which is the international instrument protecting children’s rights worldwide.

I wonder if you could tell us about the number of children that have been killed or wounded or detained by security forces in Myanmar?

So, as of 23 March, we know that at least 23 children have reportedly been killed, while at least 11 more have been severely wounded. The 23 children I mentioned were 20 boys and three girls, aged between seven and 17. You may of course have heard of this little girl of seven years old that yesterday was killed in her own home while sitting on her father’s lap, in what appears to have been a targeted killing. This is very disturbing and outrageous and in total violation of international law.

What should security forces do to uphold the best interests of children in Myanmar, especially in this current crisis?

Well, it is very clear that they have an obligation on the convention of the rights of the child and Myanmar is a signatory of this law. So, the security force should immediately refrain from violence and ask to retain the utmost restraint to keep children out of harm’s way. They should stop immediately the use of live ammunition. They should also vacate all occupied premises including schools and hospitals and ensure that public institutions are not used by military and security personnel.

What can UNICEF do now and what work is UNICEF doing now to protect children in Myanmar?

There are two aspects. The first one obviously is the immediate ones which is the protection of children that are targeted and affected by the repression by the security forces. And the other one is the broader issue is the lack of access to services. On the first one, UNICEF and our partners, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, are supporting a nationwide justice helpline, and we are now currently working to expand it. And this helpline aims to make sure children have access to quality legal advice. And we are also supporting a nationwide mental health and social support helpline to ensure that children are able to access counselling and mental health support in several local languages.

Just to mention also that we are also working with an NGO to educate children on the prevention and the danger of landmines and assist those injured by landmines. 

If I can also add that you know the crisis has increasingly compounding impact and threaten the lives of millions at risk, access to immunization, clean drinking water, education, for instance, are severely disrupted and the priority its really to adapt the way we work to ensure there is continuity of access to critical services. Right now, a million children are do not access immunization services. This huge impact on COVID-19 but also you could imagine they could also have an outbreak of major diseases such as measles.

Could you explain why military occupation of schools and hospitals is a violation of international law? What’s the breach of law there?

International law in general and international humanitarian law is very clear about that. In conflict when a military or armed group occupies schools and hospitals, for instance, the buildings become targets for attack and children are more likely to be caught in the crossfire. And you know occupation of schools and hospitals also increases the risk of grave violations against children, including sexual abuse, and interferes with their education and health care. So the use of educational and health institutions by military forces and other armed groups also damages facilities, disrupts students’ education and blur the lines between civilian and military installation. It is in direct violation of the Geneva Convention or international humanitarian law and these are to immediately cease.

What is happening for children in the border areas where there has been an increase in armed conflict since the beginning of the year, and we have also seen increasing population displacement?

Right.  As we speak, there are children and their families in the border states, such as Kachin, Shan, Kayin, and there has been intensified violence due to security forces crackdown on peaceful protests. So we also noted clashes and tension between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations in those states and resulting so far at least 1,500 people fleeing their homes and communities and we fear that this number might increase as we move ahead. So, I think what is very important is people being displaced, those people where access has been granted so that humanitarian aid organizations can access and provide direct support to those people.

UNICEF is also alarmed by unconfirmed reports of a growing number of youth and children seeking to join ethnic armed groups for their protection. So in a context where those in charge of the security of the people of Myanmar are committing severe human rights violations against this very same population they are meant to protect, and where the tension between the Tatmadaw and the ethnic armed organizations is on the rise, I think there are risks of seeing children being recruited and used by armed forces, both by the Tatmadaw or armed groups is getting very high. 

So, UNICEF would like to be call that recruitment or use of children – forced or voluntary – is a grave violation of their rights under international law. This is absolutely forbidden and a grave violation.

Could you please explain to us what could be done to better support access to COVID-19 vaccinations for Myanmar’s children in the crisis?

Yes, the current crisis is really having… it is a triple burden in a way, it is really a crisis of violence and human rights as we speak. It is a crisis on a broader access to life support services but also it is against the campaign on COVID-19, which Myanmar had made significant progress through the course of 2020 thanks to the frontline health workers, volunteers who put their lives on the line to save people while children will be some of the last people to be vaccinated against COVID per se.

UNICEF is working with partners in the WHO others to support the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine to protect families and communities. But you know with many of the health care workers now being arrested, exposed to physical violence or threatened by detention, the rollout of vaccines at large, and COVID-19 as well, is on a hold. And as I mentioned before, this is putting the health and well-being of children at serious risk, and threatens the response to COVID-19, also threaten the risks of other outbreaks. So, at this stage we are assessing how best to continue our support to these critical activities, with different alternate modalities.  

Lastly, does UNICEF have a message for the leaders of the Tatmadaw at this point?

We have been working with all parties for years now to educate and explain on the Convention of the Rights of the Child is and it is very clear under international law what these obligations are at the moment. So, first of all, during the current repression of the movement, it’s to make sure the children’s safety and security is ensured at all times. That is really the first immediate obligation and the message.

And the other thing is to make sure that schools and hospitals are vacated and secured so that children and their families are allowed direct access to primary health care and education.