Actions refute words ..... Turkey is good example

AKRAM BARAKAT / NEWS DESK

Today, 20 November marks the International Day of the Child  Right, a world day marking the signing of the International Convention on the Child Rights on 20 November 1989 by 191 countries in the world. Most of the world's countries celebrate this day with the aim of promoting the well-being and happiness of the child.

According to the United Nations, the Convention on the Child Rights is an international charter that defines the civil, political, economic and cultural rights of the children and monitors the implementation of the Convention. The UN Committee on the Child Rights consisted of members from all over the world who have signed the Global Convention on the elimination of all forms of laboring Children, renouncing or killing them. In addition to protecting their rights during conflicts and wars.

The Convention also focuses on children, their rights and needs, and demands the state to act in accordance with the best interests of the child. The Convention also has two additional protocols adopted by the General Assembly in May, 2000. The two protocols take effect on the states that have signed and ratified them: the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict and the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, exploitation of the children in prostitution and pornography.

According to article 38 of the Convention on the Child Rights, articles I (States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the rules of the international humanitarian law applicable to them in armed conflicts relevant to the child). (IV) States Parties, in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect the civilian population in armed conflicts, decisive measures should be taken to ensure the protection and care should be taken toward children affected by armed conflicts

Among the countries that have signed the International Convention on the Child Rights, the Turkish State, and in view of the Turkish State's practices against the children of North and East Syria, one wonders: Is Turkey entitled to celebrate this day? And where is the Child Right Committee that is consisted of members from different countries of the world whose task is to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Convention.

The Child Rights Committee belonging to UN, whose tasks are to monitor the implementation of the Convention by the signatories to the Convention on the Child Rights and even those that have not signed the Convention, may have not seen the Turkish occupation army's practices against the children of North and East Syria, especially Afrin canton which witnessed an aggressive attack under international covenants lacked the least legal, human rights and even humanitarian legitimacy.

During the Turkish occupation army's attacks against Afrin canton on 20 January, using all types of modern and sophisticated weapons such as warplanes, tanks and rocket launchers and cannons. During its attack on Afrin, the Turkish occupation army has not distinguished between a child, a sheikh, a young man and a girl, and not even the elderly and disabled.

On the occasion of the International Day of the Child, we must mention some violations committed by the Turkish occupation army against the people of Afrin, especially children who know nothing, but play and go to school. In less than a month, from 20 January to 19 February, according to the statistics of the Health Council in Afrin, more than 45 children were martyred because of the Turkish bombardment on the canton, including the massacre committed in Mobata on 26 January 2018, where the occupation warplanes launched attack targeted the civilian houses. 7 civilians from one family were martyred and their names are Taha al-Khater, his wife Amina al-Khater and their five children as the names and ages of three of them were known; Zakiya who is at 15, Salman who is at 14, Israa al-Khatar who is at 4.

The silence of the international community, in particular the United Nations Committee on the Child Rights whose task is to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Protection of the Child Rights in the World led to launching attacks on Afrin canton as in March 5, the Turkish occupation army launched an attack using warplanes and that resulted in martyring 13 people, including 3 children. In March 15, 8 children were martyred when the Turkish warplanes and tanks targeted the center of Afrin city.

Turkey's violations against the people of North and East Syria have not only stopped here, but Turkey has gone too far in its unhuman practices more and more as a result of international silence and the lack of any position on the part of human rights organizations which claim to protect human rights.

Here, one must wonder once again who was responsible for the martyring of the girl Sarah Rifat Mustafa who was targeted by snipers of the Turkish occupation army on November 1, while she was returning from her school to her house in Tel-Abyed /Girê Spî. Is Turkey or the the Child Rights Committee belonging to United Nations which is still remaining silent responsible for that?

Perhaps the most important question is whether Turkey and the countries that have signed the Convention on the Child Rights have the right to celebrate the International Child Day. Turkey's actions prove the falsity of its claims, and the organizations, especially the Committee on the Protection of the Child Rights' silence show the contradiction between their charter and implication and silence and disregard for what Turkey is doing against children in North Syria.

(T/S)

ANHA