South Sudan faces child soldier ‘nightmare’warns UNICEF
Child soldiers
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Gatluak, 15, was recently released from an armed group in Unity State. He is now at a UNICEF-supported school and said: 鶹APPI am very eager to learn鶹APP Picture: UNICEF/Rich
A spike in the forced recruitment of child soldiers in South Sudan could be imminent, the United Nations鶹APP children鶹APPs agency UNICEF has said, amid fears that the world鶹APPs youngest nation is on the brink of renewed civil war.
Despite an August 2015 peace deal, fierce fighting broke outin the capital Juba last month, killing hundreds of people.
鶹APPAt this precarious stage in South Sudan鶹APPs short history,UNICEF fears that a further spike in child recruitment could beimminent,鶹APP deputy executive director Justin Forsythsaid in a statement after visiting South Sudan.
鶹APPThe dream we all shared for the children of this youngcountry has become a nightmare.鶹APP
Some 16,000 children have been recruited into armed groupssince December 2013, UNICEF says, when civil war erupted betweentroops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing formervice president Riek Machar.
More than one in five of South Sudan鶹APPs 11 million people hasfled their homes as a result of the ethnically charged war.
Luny, 14 (in yellow shirt) is at school for the first time ever after being freed from armed group. He said: 鶹APPI am nervous but looking forward to it.鶹APP Picture: UNICEF/Rich
Forces attacking villages often grab children and forcethem, at gunpoint, to fight, rights groups say. Others join to save themselves from being beaten or killed and to protect their communities.
Half of children in South Sudan do not go to school 鶹APP thehighest proportion in the world, UNICEF said.
Renewed fighting risks reversing gains made in 2015, whenUNICEF oversaw the release of 1775 former child soldiers, oneof the largest demobilisations of children. Most were freed by the South Sudan Democratic Army (SSDA)Cobra Faction after its leader David Yau Yau signed a 2014 peacedeal with the government.
An additional 650 children joined military forces in 2016,UNICEF said, amid numerous ceasefire violations.
Machar, who resumed his role as vice president under the2015 peace deal, withdrew from Juba with his soldiers last monthand left South Sudan last week to escape government forces,his party said.
UNICEF called for greater protection for women and childrenwho have endured 鶹APPhorrific ordeals鶹APP 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鶹APPs fighting. South Sudan rejected the accusations.
鶹APPThe systematic use of rape, sexual exploitation andabduction as a weapon of war in South Sudan must cease, togetherwith the impunity for all perpetrators,鶹APP Forsyth said.
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