Kathmandu, July 2

Stakeholders and rights activists today warned that the issue of use of child soldiers during the decade-long Maoist conflict could reach International Criminal Court, if the government and political parties continued to ignore it.

They suggested that domestic issues should be addressed internally, by addressing concerns about disqualified child soldiers through reparation and rehabilitation process.

Advocate Om Aryal said although Nepal was not a party to the International Criminal Court based in Hague, the Netherlands, there were ample grounds on which a case could be filed, as the use of child soldiers in armed conflicts is considered ‘war crime’ internationally.

He said this by referring to case of Myanmar in relation to Rohinga refugees.