Page 12 - January Febuary 2016 Issue
P. 12
Children on the Battleield: A Look into the Use of Child Soldiers in the DRC Conlict
in addition many have been displaced, with battle ield (Child Soldiers International
more than a million living as refugees in 2012). Like in other war-torn countries,
neighboring countries (Human Rights Watch children in the DRC conlict have been used
2010). A range of factors combined have to perform some of the most horrifying acts
been blamed for the conlict in the DRC and in their societies, including killing, maiming
they include: legacies of both colonial and and torture. The United Nations estimates
autocratic rule, ethnic differences and the wars point to the fact that at the height of the DRC
in neighboring Rwanda and Uganda (World conlict there were more than 30,000 child
Movement for Democracy 1999). The picture soldiers ighting for the various parties to
is made worse when one considers the many the conlict (Human Rights Watch 2010).
factions that are ighting in the DRC. Over While a number of efforts have been made
the years, the national forces have fought a to reverse this trend, resulting in the release
host of Congolese and foreign armed groups, by armed groups of large numbers of child
such as the Rwandan-backed Rasseblement soldiers, their recruitment still continues
Congolais pour la Democratie (RCD) and the especially in the eastern part of the country
Ugandan backed Mouvement pour la Liberation (Human Rights Watch 2010). All this has
du Congo (MLC), during the phase in which serious implications for the campaign to stop
the eastern DRC was occupied by foreign the use of children in armed conlicts. Also
forces, and since then, groups such as Forces worrying are revelations that even the DRC
Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda national forces also recruited child soldiers
(FDLR), and the M23. Given the number of to ight on their side (Turner 2007). While
actors in the conlict and their ever changing circumstances leading to this trend may not be
motives,2 a long lasting solution to the conlict clear, one could still argue that by recruiting
remains a farfetched dream (World Movement child soldiers, the national forces were/are
for Democracy 1999). It is worth noting that no different from the many rebel groups they
Rwanda and Uganda have been blamed for their were/are ighting. How, for example, can the
continued support of the rebels with the aim of government discourage or stop altogether
pursuing their own interests in the DRC (Nest et the use of child soldiers when it is doing the
al. 2006). They have thus same? It is imperative therefore to understand
emerged as the biggest spoilers to any peace that while all this plays out, it is the children
efforts in the DRC conlict. that bear the brunt of the suffering through
active involvement in armed conlict.
In terms of the use of children in armed conlict,
the DRC has not been spared. Like many other Effects of armed conlict on children
countries suffering from conlict, the DRC has This section examines the effects of armed
witnessed massive recruitment of children. conlict on children in general, regardless
What is interesting to note though is that all of whether or not they have been on the
ighting forces in the country have unlawfully frontline. It must be emphasized that
recruited children (both boys and girls) to carry childhood is one of the most important stages
out a number of roles besides ighting on the of one’s life since it shapes the way for adult
12
in addition many have been displaced, with battle ield (Child Soldiers International
more than a million living as refugees in 2012). Like in other war-torn countries,
neighboring countries (Human Rights Watch children in the DRC conlict have been used
2010). A range of factors combined have to perform some of the most horrifying acts
been blamed for the conlict in the DRC and in their societies, including killing, maiming
they include: legacies of both colonial and and torture. The United Nations estimates
autocratic rule, ethnic differences and the wars point to the fact that at the height of the DRC
in neighboring Rwanda and Uganda (World conlict there were more than 30,000 child
Movement for Democracy 1999). The picture soldiers ighting for the various parties to
is made worse when one considers the many the conlict (Human Rights Watch 2010).
factions that are ighting in the DRC. Over While a number of efforts have been made
the years, the national forces have fought a to reverse this trend, resulting in the release
host of Congolese and foreign armed groups, by armed groups of large numbers of child
such as the Rwandan-backed Rasseblement soldiers, their recruitment still continues
Congolais pour la Democratie (RCD) and the especially in the eastern part of the country
Ugandan backed Mouvement pour la Liberation (Human Rights Watch 2010). All this has
du Congo (MLC), during the phase in which serious implications for the campaign to stop
the eastern DRC was occupied by foreign the use of children in armed conlicts. Also
forces, and since then, groups such as Forces worrying are revelations that even the DRC
Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda national forces also recruited child soldiers
(FDLR), and the M23. Given the number of to ight on their side (Turner 2007). While
actors in the conlict and their ever changing circumstances leading to this trend may not be
motives,2 a long lasting solution to the conlict clear, one could still argue that by recruiting
remains a farfetched dream (World Movement child soldiers, the national forces were/are
for Democracy 1999). It is worth noting that no different from the many rebel groups they
Rwanda and Uganda have been blamed for their were/are ighting. How, for example, can the
continued support of the rebels with the aim of government discourage or stop altogether
pursuing their own interests in the DRC (Nest et the use of child soldiers when it is doing the
al. 2006). They have thus same? It is imperative therefore to understand
emerged as the biggest spoilers to any peace that while all this plays out, it is the children
efforts in the DRC conlict. that bear the brunt of the suffering through
active involvement in armed conlict.
In terms of the use of children in armed conlict,
the DRC has not been spared. Like many other Effects of armed conlict on children
countries suffering from conlict, the DRC has This section examines the effects of armed
witnessed massive recruitment of children. conlict on children in general, regardless
What is interesting to note though is that all of whether or not they have been on the
ighting forces in the country have unlawfully frontline. It must be emphasized that
recruited children (both boys and girls) to carry childhood is one of the most important stages
out a number of roles besides ighting on the of one’s life since it shapes the way for adult
12
