DRC: Amnesty decries use of children in armed conflict

NAIROBI, 9 September (IRIN) - Armed groups in the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) continue to use children as soldiers despite the establishment
of a transitional government of national unity, Amnesty International
reported on Tuesday.

"The recruitment and use of children under 18 in armed conflict constitute
war crimes and, as such, they are crimes against the entire international
community, not just against children in DRC," Amnesty said in the report
titled 'Democratic Republic of Congo: Children at war'.

According to the report, thousands of children are compelled to sacrifice
their childhood for political and military advancement of the leaders of the
country's warring parties.

"As child soldiers, they face a catalogue of abuses: many are killed, all
carry the physical and psychological scars of their experiences," Amnesty
reported.

"The international community should bring pressure on all parties involved
in the DRC, including leaders of all armed groups, to hold recruiters
accountable for their acts, and to bring them to justice at the
international and national levels," Amnesty said.

Amnesty said thousands of children have since 1996 been press-ganged into
the army and militias in the country. Recruitment drives "are almost
continuous and forcible conscription is prevalent although voluntary
enlistment is also widespread".

Amnesty said: "Going beyond the legal and political abolition of recruitment
and use of child soldiers, economic development and peace building efforts
must be addressed, so that demobilisation and rehabilitation of former child
soldiers can be sustainable."

[The Amnesty International report is available online at:
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engafr620342003]


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