Submission by Human Rights Watch to the Committee ion the Rights of the Child... SUMMARY: "Many children in Burma (Myanmar) are denied their right to education under article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Many are out of school because their families cannot afford school fees. Large numbers of children, particularly in ethnic minority areas, are also denied access to education, as armed conflict has resulted in the closure or destruction of many schools. Large numbers of children in these areas have been forcibly displaced by the Burma army, with little or no access to education. In violation of article 38 of the Convention, forced recruitment of children into Burma?s national army is systematic and widespread. Children as young as eleven are forcibly recruited from public places, including marketplaces, bus, ferry, and rail stations, and the street. During training, these children are subject to routine and often brutal beatings and systematic humiliation. Once deployed, they often engage in combat against ethnic armed opposition groups, and are forced to participate in human rights abuses against civilians. They are frequently beaten and abused by their commanders and cheated of their wages. They are refused contact with their families and face severe reprisals if they try to escape. In violation of article 39, the government makes no programs or assistance available for the recovery and social reintegration of children who have been recruited or used as child soldiers."