Burma is increasing the numbers of child soldiers on frontline

UN must not be duped yet again

The Burma Campaign UK today dismissed as total nonsense claims by the regime ruling Burma that it is taking action on child soldiers. State run newspaper New Light of Myanmar is claiming that hundreds of children have been returned to their families in recent years.

Members of the Burma Campaign UK have just returned from a trip to Karen state in Eastern Burma where eye-witnesses described increasing numbers of child soldiers being sent to the frontline to take part in attacks on ethnic Karen civilians. The regime’s battalions in Karen state are under strength, reportedly due to increasing difficulties recruiting, high numbers of desertions, and heavy losses fighting the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen National Union.

“The commitments on human rights that this regime has given the UN have as much credibility as Hitler’s signature on the Munich agreement,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “For almost 20 years the dictatorship has lied to the UN over and over again, and the UN has let them get away with it.”

Last year the regime gave the UN a commitment to take action on child soldiers. At the same time reports from Human Rights Watch and organisations in Burma indicated that the regime was stepping up recruitment of child soldiers. The regime has also recently broken commitments to the UN on forced labour, and on the arrests of activists who took part in the September 2007 uprising. UNESCO has described Burma as the child soldier capital of the world.

The timing of the announcement by the regime is probably linked to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) discussions on children in armed conflict, expected 12th February 2008. In July 2005 the UNSC adopted resolution 1612 that established monitoring and reporting mechanisms on violations against children in armed conflict. A working group can make recommendations on action against countries violating children’s rights, including a resolution. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has suggested that the Security Council could consider sanctions against countries violating children’s rights.

The regime ruling Burma is known to be extremely concerned about the Security Council passing a binding resolution demanding reform.

“We can expect the regime to spin and play for time, as it always does,” said Mark Farmaner. “The question is, will the UN keep letting them get away with it? The Security Council should pass a binding resolution which includes demands for an end to recruitment of child soldiers and an end to attacks on civilians in Eastern Burma.”

For more information contact Mark Farmaner on 020 7324 4713

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