FNs Børnefond anslår, at mindst 2.500 børn – både piger og drenge – er indrulleret i diverse væbnede grupper, der alle er involveret i konflikten i et af verdens fattigste og mest tilbagestående lande – og stadig flere kommer til.
NEW YORK, 4 January 2013: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Friday called on the Central African Republic (CAR) to immediately stop child recruitment by rebel groups and pro-government militias amidst reports of increasing use of this practice.
“A number of rebel groups and various pro-government militias have become more active in recent weeks in the capital city of Bangui and across the country,” said the UNICEF Representative for CAR, Souleymane Diabate, adding:
“Reliable sources have informed us that children are newly being recruited among their ranks. These reports are of serious concern.”
“Our team on the ground is working with partners to monitor, verify, and respond to grave violations of child rights, including recruitment into armed groups – those at greater risk are children who have lost their homes, are separated from their families or were formerly associated with armed groups,” Mr. Diabate noted.
Også “Herrens Modstandshær” (LRA) er på spil
According to UNICEF, even before the latest round of violence in CAR erupted in December last year, about 2.500 children – both girls and boys – were associated with multiple armed groups, including self-defence groups, in CAR.
The UN agency estimates that this number will rise because of the recent conflict.
Over the past weeks, widespread looting (plyndring) and violence occurred in the country as an alliance of rebel groups known as ‘Séléka’ attacked several towns in the northeast and threatened to march on Bangui.
This week, the group reportedly halted their advance on the capital and agreed to start peace talks in Gabon.
CAR has a history of political instability and recurring armed conflict. State authority is weak in many parts of the country, which are largely controlled by rebel groups and criminal armed groups.
Coupled with ethnic tensions in the north, frequent armed incursions by rebel elements from neighbouring countries and the presence of members of the armed Ugandan group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), have added to insecurity and instability in CAR.
The extremely poor country, situated north of DR Congo, now has 170.000 people displaced inside its borders.
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http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=43878&Cr=Central+African+Republic&Cr1=#.UOcLVmV1T4s
Begyndfra: “UNICEF said more than 300.000 children have already been affected by the violence in CAR and…”
