Remnants of conflict continue to affect children in Karnali

Karnali, Dec 4 : A report has pointed out that children remain vulnerable due to the impact of the then armed conflict in Karnali province.    

 A report published by the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), Karnali Province following an on-site study of the bomb blast that took place in Ranawada village of Tilagufa Municipality-10, Kalikot on October 29 says that children were not safe as a result of the remnants of the 10-year-long armed conflict that ended in 2006.    

The report states that even after a decade and a half since the end of the conflict, its remnants continue to haunt the people, especially children. Human casualties are occurring every year due to the unexploded IEDs left in a neglected state.    

Chief of INSEC Karnali Province Narayan Subedi said especially innocent children have suffered and suggested the local administration and the provincial government should ensure the safety of the people. Since there is possibility of presence of unexploded particles in the most affected areas there is a need to organize a nationwide search and destroy operation, he said.    

Likewise, Chief of National Human Rights Commission, Karnali Province, Loknath Bastola said that it is the state's major duty responsibility to provide immediate compensation to the survivors of the incident.    

It may be noted that three-year-old Jharna Thapa and five-year-old Saraswati Rana were killed after an improvised explosive device, believed to be from the time of the armed conflict, blasted in Tilagufa on October 29. Likewise, eight-year-old Kamal Thapa, five-year-old Muskan Thapa and three-year-old Darshana Thapa were injured in the incident. (RSS)