26 July 2005

(Security Council sets up system on children in armed conflict)

By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent

United Nations -- Deeply concerned over the continuing use of child soldiers, the U.N. Security Council July 26 set up a system for monitoring, reporting on and punishing groups or nations who abuse or use children in wars.

Olara Otunnu, U.N. special envoy for children and armed conflict, said that "for the first time, the U.N. is establishing a formal, structured, and detailed compliance regime of this kind.  This brings together all the key elements we have been developing in the last few years to ensure accountability and compliance on the ground."

"It is the first time saying it is not enough to condemn.  It isn't enough to have rules and standards and resolutions and conventions.  We must set up in place a system that can deliver on compliance," Otunnu said.

Reminding nations of their responsibility "to end impunity and to prosecute those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other egregious crimes perpetrated against children," the Security Council instructed Secretary-General Kofi Annan to set up "without delay" a mechanism "to collect and provide timely, objective, accurate and reliable information on the recruitment and use of child soldiers in violation of applicable international law and on other violations and abuses committed against children affected by armed conflict."

In addition to recruiting child soldiers, the crimes include killing and maiming of children, rape and other sexual violence, abduction and forced displacement, denial of humanitarian aid to children, attacks against schools and hospitals, trafficking, forced labor, and all forms of slavery.

The resolution, adopted unanimously, sets up monitoring in Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and Sudan.  The monitoring is expected to expand in 2006 to Colombia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Uganda. 

The mechanism will monitor violations by both governments and insurgents.  National institutions, nongovernmental organizations and U.N. peacekeeping missions are also to participate in the process, the council said.  The secretary-general is to report to the Security Council and General Assembly; however, other U.N. bodies may also consider the reports.

The council said that it will consider imposing "targeted and graduated measures, such as . . . a ban on the export and supply of small arms and light weapons and of other military equipment and military assistance" on violators.

The Security Council also said that it was concerned by the lack of progress by offending parties listed in the secretary-general's report on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children released in February.  Of the more than 40 groups named are the Jingaweit in Sudan; Forces armees des forces nouvelles (FAFN) in Cote d'Ivoire; Forces armees de la Republic democratique du Congo (FARDC) and Force democratique de liberation du Rwanda in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia in Colombia; Karen National Liberation Army and Tatmadaw Kyi in Myanmar; Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist in Nepal; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka; and Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda.

The U.N. says that over the last ten years, more than 2 million children have been killed during armed conflict and another 6 million disabled or injured.