AVA- In a gathering held on Monday by the human rights commissions’ provincial office, the children said that continuing of war claimed education opportunities from them.
“We are holding this gathering to say that we are tired of war. Taliban should come and shake our hands for unity, because we want peace,” said Enjila Sadat.
“We just want the Taliban to come and join us in a peaceful life. We don’t want war anymore,” another child, Hassina Sherzad said.
Edris Daneshyar, another child said: “We cannot make progress if there is war and destruction in our country. Taliban! Please come and join the peace process hand in hand with us.”
Abdul Ghani Hosseini, head of the ‘Cultural Organization for Children’, a non-government body said the organization taught lessons about peace to some 200 children this year in the province.
“Children are the most vulnerable. They have raised their voices for peace along with their brothers and sisters so that the leaders hear their voices,” said Hosseini.
More than 10,000 children are busy in difficult works in Herat, according to the human rights commission, which says some of them are used by drug traffickers.
“Both the Afghan and international laws say that children should not be involved in armed conflicts. But unfortunately, Afghan children are not supported by government and we see children involved in the armed conflicts,” said Abdul Qader Rahimi, head of the human rights’ provincial office.
Children in the war zones of Afghanistan are deprived from education.