UCA News
Contribute

Myanmar military releases more than a hundred child soldiers

Rights groups claim recruitment of children still ongoing
Myanmar military releases more than a hundred child soldiers

A discharged Myanmar child soldier, left, receives his national identification card from an immigration official during a ceremony in Yangon in January 2014. (AFP photo/Soe Than Win)

Published: September 25, 2014 12:02 PM GMT
Updated: September 25, 2014 01:13 AM GMT

Myanmar's army Thursday released 109 children and young people from its armed forces, the United Nations said, commending the country's "accelerated" efforts to end the use of child soldiers.

The move was the largest single release of child recruits since the formerly junta-ruled nation committed to ending the recruitment and use of children in the military in a June 2012 pact with the UN.

A total of 472 children and young people have been released since then as the military has slowed – but not yet completely halted – its use of children.

"We are witnessing an increasing number of children coming out of the Tatmadaw, indicating the accelerated efforts of the Government of Myanmar and the Tatmadaw to put an end to the harmful practice," Renata Lok-Dessallien, UN resident coordinator in Myanmar, said in a statement.

The release comes ahead of a review of the 2012 pact on Friday, during which the UN and the government will evaluate progress made and identify future steps to end the recruitment and use of children by the Myanmar military.

There are no verifiable figures on how many children are currently serving in Myanmar's armed forces, which has faced a slew of accusations over rights abuses, including the forced recruitment of children to work as porters or even human mine detectors.

“Ending the recruitment and use of children in the armed forces is critical as Myanmar strives to strengthen the broader protection of its children and to guarantee their rights,” siad Bertrand Bainvel, Unicef representative to Myanmar, in the statement.

Myanmar’s government agreed in its pact with the UN to register all children in its armed forces by November 2012 and release them from service by December 2013.

But New York-based Human Rights Watch has said that the registration process is “far from complete” and the Tatmadaw has failed to remove incentives to fulfill unit quotas that encourage child recruitment.

Mg Mg Lay, program director for Yangon-based Assocation of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters, welcomed the announcement of the release of child soldiers but added that the military needs to show a greater commitment to ending the use of child soldiers.

“Why don’t they release all child soldiers at one time instead of discharging one group after another…. While the Tatmadaw has been releasing child soldiers, the recruitment of other children is ongoing,” he told ucanews.com.

“Many young people are still in the Tatmadaw who were recruited when they were under the age of 18. So how will the Tatmadaw take responsibility and accountability for those young people,” Mg Mg Lay added.

This latest release comes soon after the army freed 91 children and young people from the armed forces in August. All of those released were under the age of 18 when the June 2012 pact was signed.

For years the Myanmar military as well as non-state armed groups that operate mainly on the periphery of the country have employed child soldiers in their decades-long civil wars.

The UN said that in addition to the Tatmadaw, seven non-state armed groups including the Kachin Independence Army and the Karen National Liberation Army have been named by the UN secretary-general as being “persistent perpetrators” in the recruitment and use of children in Myanmar.

Help UCA News to be independent
Dear reader,
Lent is the season during which catechumens make their final preparations to be welcomed into the Church.
Each year during Lent, UCA News presents the stories of people who will join the Church in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is their Lord. The stories of how women and men who will be baptized came to believe in Christ are inspirations for all of us as we prepare to celebrate the Church's chief feast.
Help us with your donations to bring such stories of faith that make a difference in the Church and society.
A small contribution of US$5 will support us continue our mission…
William J. Grimm
Publisher
UCA News
Asian Bishops
Latest News
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia