KATHMANDU:

Murders, abductions, rapes and bomb blasts — there was a time when one could read only about these in all the newspapers as the country was going through worst conflict ever. Although the conflict is over, the scars left in the lives of hundreds of people haven’t healed yet.

The most innocent victims of this decade-long conflict are the children who had to lose their childhood as they were orphaned, injured and even forced to become child soldiers. And it is their story through their artwork that is being exhibited at the Patan Museum. Titled ‘Voices and Experiences’, the exhibition, which opened on December 5, tells the gory story of the conflict as seen through the eyes of these innocent children.

Children being killed by stray bombs, being forced to join the war, parents being killed - the exhibition has brought back harsh realities of the conflict through their drawings, poems and stories.

United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, who inaugurated the exhibition talked about the similarities that she saw between these creations and the ones made by children in Sri Lanka who are also victims of armed conflict.

She also underscored the various indirect violations, besides the direct ones, on children’s right like education. “The resilience and the extraordinary capacities of children to rebuild their life is note worthy,” she added.

“It is not easy to comprehend what they have gone through if one has not experienced it so you need to have stories and pictures to know the reality. These pictures here speak a strong language,” said Verena Graefin Von Roedern, German Ambassador to Nepal. She stressed the need to release children in PLA camps so that they can also voice their stories like others.

Some of the children affected by conflict were also present at the function. Indira Vishwakarma from Kapilvastu shared her story and vision at the event. “Aren’t children like us who have been victims of the conflict also the future of our country?” she asked and she urged the government “don’t just say, do things”.

UNICEF Representative for Nepal Gillian Mellsop and president of HimRights, Anjana Shakya were also present at the function.

All the creations being exhibited were made during a workshop held in order to help them voice their experience and learn about reconciliation.

The exhibition is organised by HimRights in association with UNICEF and is on till December 10. — HNS