Most People are concerned about the suffering of children everywhere. In a globalize community it doesn't really make a difference where these children are positioned on a political map, humanity still comes first. This film has the potential to influence people in the US and other developed nations around the world to take action and help these children at the macro level and at the political level.
Nepal is sandwiched between the two most exciting countries of the world. The economic transformation of China and the political and cultural transformation of India are at a point that we are just beginning to understand. Located in the middle of these two emerging giants, Nepal’s fate may have consequences on a global scale.
Nepal is going through the worst political crisis in its history. A constitutional democracy that was established following the 1990 People's Movement appears to be on the verge of collapse due to continued success of Maoist guerrilla insurgency or "People's War" that was launched in February 13, 1996 by the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) which eventual controlled rural areas of the country's territory before the agreed ceasefire.
All the political parties involved in Nepal, including the U.S. government, have blood on their hands, either by supporting the Nepal Army or by supporting the Maoist Army. These groups don’t want the uncover the truth, they don't really want justice, they don't really want to find out who was involved in which atrocities, because they are all somehow linked to criminal acts of violence. At this point there is a real insincerity in terms of how they've approached truth and reconciliation.
It's generally been the case that the Nepal Army and Nepal’s security forces committed about 75% of all the atrocities and the Maoist committed the rest. This doesn't make the Maoist atrocities any less illegal, but it is in terms of proportionality, the military was responsible for a great deal of the violations, particularly in terms of rape and torture.
In August 2005, the European Union condemned CPN(M) for using children as soldiers in the civil war of Nepal. It claimed that about 400 child soldiers had died in the country's civil war. The CPN-M responds that while it cares for orphans among those killed in the war, this is different in kind from having child soldiers. However, this statement contradicts reports of mass abduction, even sexual abuse of kids, who they allegedly use as cannon fodder.
The Maoists have resorted to mass abductions, particularly of young students of grades six-ten (average age: 12-16 years) from schools in western Nepal, a hotbed of insurgency. Witnesses said a group of Maoists arrived there and forcibly herded away students and teachers. According to a recent statement by the leading child rights nongovernmental organization, Child Workers in Nepal Concerned Sector (CWIN), two dozen children have died in the past six months of conflict in the country. "In this period, around 950 children were abducted," says CWIN. Though most abducted students are allowed to return after a couple of weeks, the ideological and military training they are given traumatizes many of them.
While rights organizations claim over 30 percent of the Maoist militia and army comprises children below 18 years of age, most tragically, many children end up as human shields. "There is credible evidence that children were used as soldiers, messengers, cooks, porters and suppliers by rebel groups," points out the executive director of rights organization, International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development, Gopal Krishna Shiwakoti.
Children, including girls, are deployed in combat situations, often to help provide ammunition or assist with evacuating or caring for the wounded. It said a 16-year-old boy from Dang district (of western Nepal) reported how he was forced to assist with carrying wounded Maoist combatants to India for treatment in May 2002. He revealed how he and six others of the same age managed to run away. Amnesty International also obtained evidence of the training of children in the use of arms. A 14-year-old girl explained how arms training took place by torchlight during the night, with children attending classes during the day.
While the Nepalese government has set up separate centers to receive surrendering rebels, they have not made any efforts to take care of the special needs of children caught in the conflict.