DATE=1/22/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N/CHILD SOLDIERS (L O)
NUMBER=2-258321
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Representatives of 85 countries have
unanimously adopted a treaty to ban the use of
children under the age of 18 in warfare. But the
treaty still allows volunteers as young as 16 to
enlist for non-combat duty. Lisa Schlein in Geneva
says the United Nations has been negotiating this
treaty for the past six years.
TEXT: The treaty bans the forced recruitment of
children under 18 as soldiers. The ban applies to
both government and rebel armed groups. Once
ratified, it will revise the Convention on the Rights
of the Child that allows children as young as 15 to
fight in wars.
But the agreement creates a double standard in regard
to voluntary recruitment. Rebel groups are barred
from using volunteers under the age of 18, while
children as young as 16 are allowed to volunteer for
service in their national armies.
Jo Becker heads the coalition to ban the use of child
soldiers. She says the United States backed off on
one of its long-held positions, making adoption of the
treaty possible.
/// BECKER ACT ///
The United States has agreed for the very first
time to end deployment of under 18s in combat
situations. This is a significant shift in
their position because in previous years during
negotiations, they have vigorously refused to
consider such a change in practice. So this is
quite a significant development.
/// END ACT ///
The United States will continue to enlist 17-year-old
volunteers, but will no longer send them to war.
The coalition calls the treaty a great advance for
children around the world and says it will help stop
the use of children as soldiers. The United Nations
estimates more than 300-thousand children, some as
young as seven, are involved in more than 30 conflicts
around the world. The worst problems are found in
Africa.
The coalition says the weakest part of the treaty is
that it allows voluntary recruitment from age 16. It
notes the discrepancy in the age limit between
voluntary recruitment and participation in armed
conflict will make the treaty more difficult to
enforce.
Rachel Brett represents a Quaker human rights group.
She says the treaty specifies that countries must
provide special protection to those under 18 and
includes a list of safeguards for volunteer soldiers.
/// BRETT ACT ///
If you look at those safeguards, I have to say
they were drafted by a group of predominantly
Western countries with a very Western
perspective on how recruitment takes place, of
what sort of safeguards are possible. I think
one can remain fairly skeptical about the
ability to comply with those safeguards in many
other circumstances.
/// END ACT ///
The treaty is expected to be adopted by the U-N
General Assembly this year. (Signed)
NEB/LS/DW/JP
22-Jan-2000 08:32 AM EDT (22-Jan-2000 1332 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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