By Our reporter
SHILLONG: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has taken strong note of the reports that insurgent groups are recruiting children as child soldiers.
During a meeting with the NCPCR member, the State Home Department presented a paper on the scenario.
Though presentation could not confirm mass recruitment of children as soldiers, yet it said the Garo Hills based militant outfit GNLA is recruiting youths.
“Another modus operandi being followed by the militant outfit is to use young children including school children as informers and carriers and selected children are being provided with phones, and monetary allowances to act as informers about movement of police and security forces,” the presentation read.
The NCPCR member Dr Yogesh Dube while taking strong note of the reports said that state Home Department has assured that it would adopt a method to ensure that children are not used as soldiers.
Earlier, a child solider in GNLA had surrendered but he was later killed by the outfit at Nongalbibra besides three children were also rescued when they were about to be sent to outfit’s training camp.
In August last year, two juveniles were also arrested as the outfit was using them for distributing extortion notes.