Communist rebels using children in rallies

United Nations’ human rights officers in Nepal today said it has raised concern with communist rebels over the use of children in political rallies.

UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights in Nepal said “it has raised concerns with the Maoist rebel leadership regarding the transporting of children to rallies and demonstrations, often without the consent of the parents".

David Johnson of the UN office said they were preparing a report on the cases of human rights abuses in the past few months by the rebels, including the use of children in political rallies.

Several other rights groups in Nepal have criticised the rebels for forcing school students to attend a political rallies.

The rights group alleged that All Nepal National Free Student Union Revolutionary, the student wing of the Maoist rebels, forced schools around Kathmandu to bus thousands of students, some from elementary grades, to their demonstration earlier this week.

The student union, a key supporter of the rebels, has been organising strikes in schools and extorting money from private schools to run their anti-government insurgency for the past decade.