Statement for the “Red Hand Day”
The 12th of February has been established as "Red Hand Day" and is dedicated to the children who are involved in warfare. The "Red Hand Day" aims to raise the awareness of peoples for the children who despite their will are involved in armed groups and battlefields around the world. This day reminds that any involvement of children in warfare constitutes a war crime and a flagrant violation of the children's rights and as it is described in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
But of course, nor conventions neither international decisions are not needed to conceive the horror of children involvement in armed conflicts. Reports from UNICEF show that more than 300,000 children are involved in more than 30 conflicts worldwide. Child soldiers are forcibly recruited by armed rebel forces or even from regular armies to participate in military operations. In some cases, children are forced to kill their family members, so they cannot return back. Many children are involved in armed groups because they consider it as the only way to survive and secure their daily food. Recent reports note that many children are carried away by religious fanaticism.
The involvement of children in armed conflicts is the worst form of child abuse. With the red palm, which includes the outline of a child-soldier, the “Red Hand Day”, oppose to the recruitment or any involvement of children in armed conflicts. This is a crime and the least we can do is not to ignore it.
EDON commemorates the “Red Hand Day” and totally condemns the involvement of children in warfare, the same way we condemn any military conflict. Above all we condemn the source that gives rise to the conflicts around the world which is imperialism. We oppose to the fact that capitalist system promotes war gaming though children's consciousness. It is truly horrible to see children of modern capitalist societies to “play” with fake guns and participate in digital wars.
The people of Cyprus, having experienced the sufferings of war and imperialism, with the treacherous Coup D’état and the Turkish invasion that led to the uprooting and victimization of many hundreds of Cypriot children, continue to struggles along with other progressive forces for peace and justice in the world, against war, violence and exploitation. The 12th of February reminds us that we are fighting for an independent and demilitarized Cyprus without any foreign interventions and interests.
Press Office of the CC of EDON
12/02/2015