AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Children recruited by the FARC: they are prisoners and infected with the human papilloma virus

Bogota (Agenzia Fides) - The situation of children who are recruited into armed groups in the Country remains serious. In recent days the Army has discovered some between 12 and 17 years of age in uniform and armed to the teeth (see Fides 04/05/2015), and managed to convince them to be placed under the care of the Ministry of Family Welfare (ICBF). Children and teenagers had just finished a two-month training course in which they had been taught how to fight, kill, and place explosives. Surprisingly, it also showed that the children had been infected with the human papilloma virus, transmitted by guerrillas adults.
The Ministry of Family Welfare estimates there are still 2000 children in FARC ranks, in addition to thousands of adults enrolled since childhood. Once enrolled they cannot escape, because if they do and are caught they are killed. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 07/05/2015)