MILITARISATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE COMMISSIONERS RESPONSE
There has been a response from the Childrens Commissioner for Wales to our query about the militarization of young people (see link):
Dear Mr Moffatt
Thank you for your letter dated 1 April 2011 in which you refer to your correspondence with the Northern Ireland Children's Commissioner regarding the issues of militarisation of young people.
I note that you urge me to ensure that the operation of cadet forces and armed forces recruitment is compliant with international standards. I thank you for identifying this children's rights issue with me and note that the next round of reporting to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child is scheduled for 2014, when there may be an opportunity to highlight this issue.
As you may well be aware the issue of armed forces recruitment is a non devolved issue and thus is within the remit of the Children's Commissioner for England. I will therefore draw your correspondence to their attention.
Keith Towler
Childrens Commissioner for Wales
Mr Towler's positive response constrasts markedly with that of his colleague in Northern Ireland who we also queried on this matter (see link):
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League
16/05/11
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on msocio-economic issues.
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