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News Story
 April 12, 2007 In the hope of easing fear in the war-ridden country, the Lebanese government and Hezbollah vowed to the United Nations not to use children in armed conflict. The U.N. special representative for children and armed conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, Thursday welcomed the signature of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and opposition Hezbollah lawmaker Mohammad Raad on an accord that bans using children in battle. Coomaraswamy is on a three-day visit to Lebanon to meet officials and non-government organizations as well as Palestinian refugee camps, and discuss violations against children. The signature of the Shiite Hezbollah guerilla organization on the "voluntary protocol" banning children from armed conflict would dispel some rumors that Hezbollah was recruiting young teens to carry arms in wars with Israel. Coomaraswamy also urged the rivals in the country to "respect international human rights charters on protecting children and ensure the schools are safe." She added she was also concerned with the conditions of Palestinian refugee children after visiting the decrepit Shatila camp in Beirut, and called on the authorities to "develop social and educational services there." The U.N. envoy had earlier met with several NGOs working with Palestinian families and children in Lebanon, who apparently complained to her that restricted adult access to employment and poor educational and health facilities in the camps have trapped the Palestinian children in an environment where violence and abuse were more likely to occur. URL: story url
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