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POLPARS must not mobilize children during campaigning

Source
Dili Weekly - April 9, 2018

Paulina Quintao – The President of the National Election Commission (CNE), Alcino Barris said there is no law regulating parents to not involve their children in electoral campaigns, but is criminal for political parties to mobilize children to take part in political activities.

He said it is very difficult to ban children from involvement in political campaign activities because these activities are organized in communities' homes and parents need to listen to the political parties so they can take part in the election.

He added that mobilizing children includes organizing children to listen to electoral propaganda during a whole day to increase numbers of crowds without the knowledge from parents. "But it is not easy to define the crime of mobilization," he said in Delta nova, Dili.

He added that it is difficult for CNE to say it is a crime and order the capture of the parents who involve their children in political campaigning because there is no legal basis.

On the other hand, the President of the National Commission for Children Right (KNDL), Commissioner Maria Barreto warned the relevant institutions such as the Ombudsman of Justice and Human Rights (PDHJ), the Timor-Leste National Police (PNTL), the National Election commission (CNE) to prioritize the protection of children during the monitoring of the political campaigns.

She also urged the parents to control and protect the children from involvement in the campaigning because there is always risk of violence.

"We all know that parents need to listen to information from the political parties so they can vote for the political party that can addresses their needs, but they should also remain conscious of not involving children in the campaign," she appealed.

She added that monitoring of the last election showed that parents often took their children with them in their cars during political parades.

She added also that some political parties given out promotion material to children under 15 to distributed and get them to participate in the rallies to boost participation numbers.

She appealed to political parties to prioritise child protection during the early election because children cannot vote.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/15388-polpars-must-not-mobilize-children-during-campaigning

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