Cairo's street kids fall victim to post-revolt turmoil

Cairo, April 27: Cairo Egypt's street children are in worse shape due to violence and political manipulation in the wake of the popular revolt that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak more than a year ago, according to activists.

"Since Mubarak's overthrow, the [ruling] military council has been responsible for increasing the abuses suffered by street children," said Ahmad Moshli, a legal advisor for the non-government group, the Child's Rights Coalition. He was referring to the military who has taken over after Mubarak was ousted in February 2011.

Exploited

"The military council has exploited those poor children to cover up its responsibility for the political problems and crimes that have taken place in Egypt since then," Moshli told a gathering in Cairo this week on abuse of street children.

Egypt has been gripped by a series of deadly clashes between anti-military protesters and police in recent months. Several street children were rounded up in the wake of each incident, said activists.

"There are 11 children being tried before the Higher Security State Court over alleged involvement in an attack against the Saudi embassy [in September]," said Moshli. He added that dozens of street children were held following violence near the government building in Cairo in December and the deadly football rioting in the coastal city of Port Said two months later.

Investigators

State media have quoted the arrested children telling police investigators that unknown people, believed to be loyal to Mubarak, had hired them to attack key institutions, including a historic academic building in central Cairo, in return for money.

"Such trials are illegal because under the law minors should be tried before the Child Court, not at courts for adults," said Moshli. "The police also violate the law by handcuffing the arrested children and keeping them with adults in custody," he added.

According to Hend Mahmoud, a rights activist, some political groups exploit street children for their own agendas. "During recent parliamentary elections, campaigners used street children in distributing leaflets and posters publicising their contenders," she said on the sidelines of the gathering. "This act is unlawful, but the violators were not punished," added Hend.