The Hindu : Tribal children a `neglected' lot

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Tribal children a `neglected' lot

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM MARCH 24. The Government is yet to do anything for the physiological recovery of tribal children who have witnessed or were victims of police brutality in Muthanga last month.

The State Council for Child Welfare, of which the Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, is the president, had sought a report from its district unit on the abuse and neglect of children at Muthanga immediately after the incidents. But the district unit, which is headed by the Collector, is yet to send its report. The secretary of the Council, Sunil C. Kurien, told The Hindu that he was expecting to receive the report in a day or two.

He said the delay had occurred because the district unit had sought to route the report through the Collector. Now, he had asked the non-official members of the district unit to prepare the report and send it to the State Council.

It may be recalled that the National Human Rights Commission had found official reports based on the version of district authorities unsatisfactory.

Police had allegedly beaten up children on February 29 and jailed them with others. Many children were witness to their parents being beaten up by the police. Even infants were separated from their mothers.

According to the People's Commission (constituted by jurist, V. R. Krishna Iyer, on behalf of the Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity), which inquired into the incident, one child is still in jail and the police have charged him with murder.

According to Article 38 of the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child, the Government is required to take appropriate measures to promote their physical and psychological recovery. As it is, the Central Government that signs conventions, too has a responsibility in this regard.

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