Kathmandu, June 26 :

The National Coalition for Children as Zones of Peace has requested the government to immediately set schools free from the presence and activities of the security forces and to abide by the commitment made earlier by the government and political parties.

The coalition threatened that if the government does not take any immediate concrete action, it will be compelled to announce more intense protest programmes.

“We have learnt that the activities and presence of security forces is still going on in eleven schools. In some schools, the students are allowed to enter the school premise only after a strict security check and after passing through barbwire fences,” said a coalition press release issued here. The coalition also requested the government to implement the agreement of declaring “Children as Zones of Peace” by protecting children from armed conflict and its long-term impact.

The press release added that the government should implement its prior commitments regarding Geneva Convention and the Convention on Rights of Children.