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Policy needed on child soldier issue: Rights Group |
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by May Kyaw
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Saturday, 25 April 2009 14:28 |
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The one and only solution to stop the use of child soldiers is for the armed forces to adopt and implement a consensus policy, a Thai based rights group said.
Not only the Burmese Army, but also all ethnic armed forces should adopt such a policy by consensus, it said.
"The way to resolve this problem by leaders and members of all armed groups is to adopt a concerted and consensus policy barring the use of child soldiers," U Aung Myo Min, Director of 'Human Rights Education Institute (Burma)' (HREIB), told Mizzima.
Maj. Saw Hla Ngwe, Joint Secretary I of the 'Karen National Union' (KNU) said, "The probable way of resolving this problem rests with us. Our leaders, our rank and file must follow the policy which bars the use of child soldiers conscientiously. It has to be understood that it is not proper and not in accordance with our organization's policy. All must abide by this policy through a clear understanding."
In a UNSG report in December 2007, it clearly states that not only the Burmese Army but nine ethnic armed forces are using child soldiers.
The United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) has already submitted the report to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
The Karenni Nationality Progressive Army issued a statement which said it has a policy of not using child soldiers in its army and a ground inspection can be made. Similarly the 'Karen National Liberation Army' (KNLA) said that they can be inspected at any time.
"After being mentioned in the report, it is very difficult to nullify these facts. The UN usually watches the situation and studies these allegations," Aung Myo Min pointed out.
"In some cases, higher officials understand the situation and the policy but the lower ranks recruit child soldiers out of ignorance of the official policy," he further said.
According to the UNSC Resolution No. 1612, action can be taken against the government if it uses child soldiers and violates child rights in armed conflict.
"In the possible scenario, they will take action by imposing economic sanctions, arms embargo including small arms which are the most common cause of using child soldiers in armed conflict. We can guess at something like that but it depends on the decision of the UNSC members. So we cannot guess exactly to what extent action will be taken," Aung Myo Min elaborated.
The UNSG Mr. Ban Ki-Moon explicitly said that there are nine armed groups from both the Burmese Army and non-governmental ethnic armed forces which were using child soldiers in armed conflict.
Of the 54 international governmental armies and other non-state armed forces exposed by the UN, nine armed groups are from Burma.
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