EUROPE/GT. BRITAIN - Global Report on Child Soldiers 2004 says governments are incapable of stopping children’s involvement: “children are fighting in almost every major conflict, in both government and opposition forces. They are being injured, subjected to horrific abuse and killed”

London (Fides Service) - In London this morning the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers released its report on child soldiers 2004. The report was presented by the Coalition international director Casey Kelso.
Child Soldiers Global Report 2004’ reviews trends and developments since 2001 in 196 countries. Despite some improvements the situation remained the same or deteriorated in many countries. It said that “children are fighting in almost every major conflict, in both government and opposition forces. They are being injured, subjected to horrific abuse and killed. Wars ending in Afghanistan, Angola and Sierra Leone led to the demobilisation of 40,000 children, but over 25,000 were drawn into conflicts in Côte d’Ivoire and Sudan alone.
Among other things Casey said “Children should be protected from warfare not used to wage it. Instead generations are having their childhood stolen by governments and armed groups. A world that does not allow children to fight wars is possible, but governments must show the political will and courage to make this happen by enforcing international laws.” The Coalition called on governments to ban all recruitment of under-18s into any armed force and to ratify and fully implement the UN child soldiers treaty, which is helping to reduce the numbers of children used in hostilities and said that the Security Council should take immediate and decisive action to get children out of conflict by applying targeted sanctions and referring child recruiters to the International Criminal Court for prosecution.
Armed groups, both government-backed paramilitaries and opposition forces, are the main culprits in recruitment and use of child soldiers. Dozens of groups in at least 21 conflicts have recruited tens of thousands of children since 2001, forcing them into combat, training them to use explosives and weapons, and subjecting them to rape, violence and hard labour. Governments, including Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Sudan and the USA, used children on the front lines in at least 10 conflicts. Others, including Colombia, Uganda and Zimbabwe, backed paramilitary groups and militias that used child soldiers. States such as Indonesia and Nepal used children as informants, spies or messengers. Some governments, including Burundi, Indonesia and the Russian Federation, killed, tortured or arbitrarily detained children suspected of supporting armed opposition. Palestinian children detained by Israeli forces were tortured or threatened to coerce them to become informants. Western governments broke commitments to protect children by providing military training and support to governments using child soldiers, such as Rwanda and Uganda. At least 60 governments, including Australia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the USA, continue to legally recruit children aged 16 and 17. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 17/11/2004, righe 36, parole 495)