Child soldier 'nightmare' could be imminent in South Sudan, UNICEF says

Record ID: 90344

  • Title: Child soldier 'nightmare' could be imminent in South Sudan, UNICEF says
  • Date: 19th August 2016
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (AUGUST 19, 2016) (REUTERS) UNITED NATIONS ENTRANCE UNITED NATIONS SIGN NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNICEF SPOKESMAN CHRISTOPHE BOULIERAC SAYING: "Since the beginning of this year-- you will find the details in the press release -- more than 650 children have been recruited into armed groups in South Sudan. We are very concerned that renewed violence in Juba and other parts of the country will escalate further recruitment. We fear that a further spike in child recruitment could be imminent." JOURNALIST USING COMPUTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNICEF SPOKESMAN CHRISTOPHE BOULIERAC SAYING: "We call for an immediate end to recruitment and the unconditional release of all children by armed, all armed actors. An estimated 16,000 children have been recruited by armed groups and armed forces since the crisis in South Sudan first began in December 2013." CAMERAMAN FILMING JOURNALISTS WORKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNICEF SPOKESMAN CHRISTOPHE BOULIERAC SAYING: "The systematic use of rape, sexual exploitation and abduction as a weapon of war in South Sudan must cease, together with the impunity of all perpetrators." JOURNALISTS NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS UNITED NATIONS SIGN
  • Embargoed: 3rd September 2016 14:30
  • Keywords: UNICEF child soldiers Juba child recruitment Salva Kiir Riek Machar
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,International/National Security
  • Reuters ID: LVA0014VSM4HZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A spike in the forced recruitment of child soldiers in South Sudan could be imminent, the United Nations' children's agency said on Friday (August 19), amid fears that the world's youngest nation is on the brink of renewed civil war.
    Despite an August 2015 peace deal, fierce fighting broke out in the capital Juba last month, killing hundreds of people.
    "Since the beginning of this year...more than 650 children have been recruited into armed groups in South Sudan. We are very concerned that renewed violence in Juba and other parts of the country will escalate further recruitment. We fear that a further spike in child recruitment could be imminent", UNICEF spokesman, Christophe Boulierac told a news briefing in Geneva.
    In December 2013, civil war erupted between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing former vice president Riek Machar.
    Forces attacking villages often grab children and force them, at gunpoint, to fight, rights groups say.
    Half of children in South Sudan do not go to school -- the highest proportion in the world, UNICEF said.
    "We call for an immediate end to recruitment and the unconditional release of all children by armed, all armed actors. An estimated 16,000 children have been recruited by armed groups and armed forces since the crisis in South Sudan first began in December 2013", Boulierac said.
    Renewed fighting risks reversing gains made in 2015, when UNICEF oversaw the release of 1,775 former child soldiers, one of the largest demobilizations of children.
    Most were freed by the South Sudan Democratic Army (SSDA) Cobra Faction after its leader David Yau Yau signed a 2014 peace deal with the government. An additional 650 children joined military forces in 2016, UNICEF said, amid numerous ceasefire violations.
    UNICEF also calls for greater protection for women and children who have endured "horrific ordeals" in the recent fighting.
    The United Nations said government soldiers and security forces executed civilians and gang-raped women and girls during and after last month's fighting. South Sudan rejected the accusations.
    "The systematic use of rape, sexual exploitation and abduction as a weapon of war in South Sudan must cease, together with the impunity of all perpetrators" Boulierac said.
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