The United Nations’ child advocacy agency is calling on Thailand to avoid any further child victims of its political feud.
After three children died in two days in attacks related to the political crisis, the United Nations Children’s Fund has called on all parties to keep children away from protest areas.
UNICEF “condemns the violence that resulted in these tragic and senseless deaths and injuries to children,” said Bijaya Rajbhandari of UNICEF Thailand in a statement. “These incidents underscore the urgent need to keep children out of harm’s way in order to ensure their safety. UNICEF urges the Government, pro- and anti-government protest leaders and all parents to ensure children do not enter protest sites and are kept well away from all protest areas.”
A 5-year-old girl was killed by gunmen Saturday in Trat province, while a young brother and sister, 4 and 6, died after a grenade attack Sunday near Ratchaprasong intersection.
Protest areas should be “child-free zones,” Rajbhandari said, while calling for authorities to bring their killers to justice.
