As CAR peace deal unravels, uncertainty looms for thousands of child soldiers
2 views
Skip to first unread message
Elisabeth Janaina
Jul 15, 2017, 1:31:56 AM7/15/17
to southsudankob
As CAR peace deal unravels, uncertainty looms for thousands of child soldiers
By Sandra Olsson
July 13, 2017
0
Share:
A ceasefire agreed in June aimed at halting the Central African
Republic’s five-year conflict barely lasted 24 hours.
Children in the capital Bangui hold up signs reading "Peace" and
"Love". Credit: UN Photo/Nektarios Markogiannis.
Children in the capital Bangui hold up signs reading “Peace” and
“Love”. Credit: UN Photo/Nektarios Markogiannis.
The ancient gilded room of a Catholic community group in Rome was
perhaps an unlikely setting for a crucial meeting on the Central
African Republic (CAR). But this June, representatives from the
Central African government and 13 armed groups gathered in the
headquarters of the Saint’ Egidio peace group where they signed a
peace accord.
CAR has endured several conflicts both before and after gaining
independence in 1960. But the unrest sparked by the ousting of
President François Bozizé in 2013 has been particularly intense and
long-lasting.
In March 2013, members of the Séléka rebel group seized power with
support from neighbouring Chad and Sudan. Bozizé had himself come to
office in a coup a decade previously.
This power grab led to widespread clashes between the Séléka and local
self-defence militias known as the anti-Balaka. These community forces
were later joined by former members of the national armed forces.
In the years since, various ceasefires and peace deals have been
signed. An interim government was established in 2014, and elections
in 2015-6 saw President Faustin-Archange Touadéra come to power. Yet
the violence has continued and evolved significantly.
[Some new beginnings? The challenges facing Central African Republic’s
new president]
The peace accord signed in Italy on 19 June was intended to finally
stem this fighting and included 13 of 14 recognised armed groups. But
any optimism soon faded. Barely 24 hours after the signing, deadly
clashes had broken out once again.CAR’s continuing conflict has now
led to thousands of deaths, left over half of the 4.9 million
population in need of humanitarian assistance, and displaced a million
people. It has also created thousands of child soldiers.
CAR’s child soldiers
Since the conflict started in 2012, the UN estimates that at least
13,000 children have been recruited on both sides of the conflict.
Many suspect the actual number is higher.
A UN report this May reveals the shocking treatment these children
face. It documents girls as young as six being abducted by militias.
It finds that children are “often subjected to acts of sexual violence
and ill-treatment, and used by armed groups as human shields”.
A large proportion of child soldiers are kidnapped by armed groups,
but many join “voluntarily” to protect their communities. This is
particularly the case with anti-Balaka groups, many of which are
poorly equipped and organised, but emerged at the local level for
self-defence.
Some children join to avenge the death of a loved one or as a response
to other atrocities they have suffered. Others may join believing
armed groups present a route to a better life and income.
One 17-year-old girl told the UN how she joined the anti-Balaka to
avenge her father’s death, but was exploited and abused.
“Soon after she joined the armed group, she was subjected to sexual
advances by an anti-Balaka commander,” the report reads. “She felt
that she had no choice but to cede, and she became one of three girls
whom the commander used as his wives.”
The UN’s own peacekeeping mission in CAR (MINUSCA) has also faced
allegations of sexual abuse against women and children since it was
mandated to restore stability in 2014.
Working towards demobilisation
In 2015, UNICEF brokered a deal with the country’s armed groups to
release 10,000 child soldiers – variously exploited as combatants,
cooks, spies, porters, or for sexual purposes – and commit to stop
further recruitment.
UNICEF’s figures suggest that most of these children have now
officially been demobilised. But with violence ongoing, there is a
high risk that these children could be re-recruited.
Another 3,000 new cases of child recruitment were reported in 2016.
And there are alarming reports of families paying ransoms for children
to be released by militias, a practice that increases the
profitability of abductions. This problem is compounded by the fact
that only half of the demobilised 10,000 child soldiers receive
reintegration support.
At the same time, the government’s limited financial resources and
lack of influence outside the capital mean that it has yet to roll out
the full disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programme
promised by the 2015 Bangui Forum.
[Central African Republic: It’s not all about the money]
This has left tens of thousands of adult combatants waiting
expectantly and increasingly impatiently too. But most groups may in
fact be excluded from the programme, which – among other requirements
– stipulates that a “weapon of war” must be handed over to demonstrate
eligibility.
These difficulties and delays around DDR support have led many
anti-Balaka groups to turn to crime such as armed robbery to sustain
themselves. They continue to use children for these activities.
At home with commanders
For the children freed from armed groups, returning to a normal life
is fraught with challenges.
It is not uncommon for children to suffer discrimination and rejection
by their family. Girls formerly associated with armed groups are
especially vulnerable to abuse from community members and are often
derided because of the sexual abuse they suffered.
Such experiences are similar to those endured by former child soldiers
elsewhere in the world, but for those associated with anti-Balaka
movements, reintegration brings its own unique obstacles. Because
these movements are formed by local members to protect their own
villages and towns, the child recruits often stay at home rather than
following the group into the bush (as is more common for children in
ex-Séléka groups).
Further, given that local groups have not yet been formally disarmed,
children may remain under the influence of their former commanders
even once they have officially been demobilised. The looming armed
presence overshadows a child’s return to civilian life and offers
little reassurance they can avoid re-recruitment as soon as violence
returns.
Child Soldiers International works to help strengthen these
reintegration practices through advocating for integrated approaches,
which address the grievances and needs of both the children and the
community. Together with our partners, the organisation develops
awareness-raising material to prevent child recruitment and help
communities better protect their children.
Ending child recruitment is critical to restoring peace in CAR. This
will be a long and complex process and sadly, it seems that the latest
peace agreement is not the catalyst to ending the conflict that many
were hoping. To stop the exploitation of children in adult wars, the
government will need to find ways to address the armed groups’
grievances but also hold those who recruit children accountable.
By Sandra Olsson
July 13, 2017
0
Share:
A ceasefire agreed in June aimed at halting the Central African
Republic’s five-year conflict barely lasted 24 hours.
Children in the capital Bangui hold up signs reading "Peace" and
"Love". Credit: UN Photo/Nektarios Markogiannis.
Children in the capital Bangui hold up signs reading “Peace” and
“Love”. Credit: UN Photo/Nektarios Markogiannis.
The ancient gilded room of a Catholic community group in Rome was
perhaps an unlikely setting for a crucial meeting on the Central
African Republic (CAR). But this June, representatives from the
Central African government and 13 armed groups gathered in the
headquarters of the Saint’ Egidio peace group where they signed a
peace accord.
CAR has endured several conflicts both before and after gaining
independence in 1960. But the unrest sparked by the ousting of
President François Bozizé in 2013 has been particularly intense and
long-lasting.
In March 2013, members of the Séléka rebel group seized power with
support from neighbouring Chad and Sudan. Bozizé had himself come to
office in a coup a decade previously.
This power grab led to widespread clashes between the Séléka and local
self-defence militias known as the anti-Balaka. These community forces
were later joined by former members of the national armed forces.
In the years since, various ceasefires and peace deals have been
signed. An interim government was established in 2014, and elections
in 2015-6 saw President Faustin-Archange Touadéra come to power. Yet
the violence has continued and evolved significantly.
[Some new beginnings? The challenges facing Central African Republic’s
new president]
The peace accord signed in Italy on 19 June was intended to finally
stem this fighting and included 13 of 14 recognised armed groups. But
any optimism soon faded. Barely 24 hours after the signing, deadly
clashes had broken out once again.CAR’s continuing conflict has now
led to thousands of deaths, left over half of the 4.9 million
population in need of humanitarian assistance, and displaced a million
people. It has also created thousands of child soldiers.
CAR’s child soldiers
Since the conflict started in 2012, the UN estimates that at least
13,000 children have been recruited on both sides of the conflict.
Many suspect the actual number is higher.
A UN report this May reveals the shocking treatment these children
face. It documents girls as young as six being abducted by militias.
It finds that children are “often subjected to acts of sexual violence
and ill-treatment, and used by armed groups as human shields”.
A large proportion of child soldiers are kidnapped by armed groups,
but many join “voluntarily” to protect their communities. This is
particularly the case with anti-Balaka groups, many of which are
poorly equipped and organised, but emerged at the local level for
self-defence.
Some children join to avenge the death of a loved one or as a response
to other atrocities they have suffered. Others may join believing
armed groups present a route to a better life and income.
One 17-year-old girl told the UN how she joined the anti-Balaka to
avenge her father’s death, but was exploited and abused.
“Soon after she joined the armed group, she was subjected to sexual
advances by an anti-Balaka commander,” the report reads. “She felt
that she had no choice but to cede, and she became one of three girls
whom the commander used as his wives.”
The UN’s own peacekeeping mission in CAR (MINUSCA) has also faced
allegations of sexual abuse against women and children since it was
mandated to restore stability in 2014.
Working towards demobilisation
In 2015, UNICEF brokered a deal with the country’s armed groups to
release 10,000 child soldiers – variously exploited as combatants,
cooks, spies, porters, or for sexual purposes – and commit to stop
further recruitment.
UNICEF’s figures suggest that most of these children have now
officially been demobilised. But with violence ongoing, there is a
high risk that these children could be re-recruited.
Another 3,000 new cases of child recruitment were reported in 2016.
And there are alarming reports of families paying ransoms for children
to be released by militias, a practice that increases the
profitability of abductions. This problem is compounded by the fact
that only half of the demobilised 10,000 child soldiers receive
reintegration support.
At the same time, the government’s limited financial resources and
lack of influence outside the capital mean that it has yet to roll out
the full disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programme
promised by the 2015 Bangui Forum.
[Central African Republic: It’s not all about the money]
This has left tens of thousands of adult combatants waiting
expectantly and increasingly impatiently too. But most groups may in
fact be excluded from the programme, which – among other requirements
– stipulates that a “weapon of war” must be handed over to demonstrate
eligibility.
These difficulties and delays around DDR support have led many
anti-Balaka groups to turn to crime such as armed robbery to sustain
themselves. They continue to use children for these activities.
At home with commanders
For the children freed from armed groups, returning to a normal life
is fraught with challenges.
It is not uncommon for children to suffer discrimination and rejection
by their family. Girls formerly associated with armed groups are
especially vulnerable to abuse from community members and are often
derided because of the sexual abuse they suffered.
Such experiences are similar to those endured by former child soldiers
elsewhere in the world, but for those associated with anti-Balaka
movements, reintegration brings its own unique obstacles. Because
these movements are formed by local members to protect their own
villages and towns, the child recruits often stay at home rather than
following the group into the bush (as is more common for children in
ex-Séléka groups).
Further, given that local groups have not yet been formally disarmed,
children may remain under the influence of their former commanders
even once they have officially been demobilised. The looming armed
presence overshadows a child’s return to civilian life and offers
little reassurance they can avoid re-recruitment as soon as violence
returns.
Child Soldiers International works to help strengthen these
reintegration practices through advocating for integrated approaches,
which address the grievances and needs of both the children and the
community. Together with our partners, the organisation develops
awareness-raising material to prevent child recruitment and help
communities better protect their children.
Ending child recruitment is critical to restoring peace in CAR. This
will be a long and complex process and sadly, it seems that the latest
peace agreement is not the catalyst to ending the conflict that many
were hoping. To stop the exploitation of children in adult wars, the
government will need to find ways to address the armed groups’
grievances but also hold those who recruit children accountable.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages