Submitted by crinadmin on
HRW's summary of the publicaiton
Child soldiers are among the most tragic victims of the war in
Liberia. Although international law forbids the use of children
under the age of 15 as soldiers, thousands of young children
have been involved in the fighting since it began in December
1989. The main rebel forces, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia
(NPFL) and the United Liberian Movement for Democracy in Liberia
(ULIMO), have consistently used children under the age of 18,
including thousands under 15. Children are also reportedly used
by the other warring factions. As a consequence, thousands of
children in Liberia have suffered cruelly during the war: many
have been killed or wounded or witnessed terrible atrocities.
Moreover, many children themselves have been forced to take
part in the killing, maiming or rape of civilians. The use of children
as soldiers presents grave human rights problems. Many of these
children have been killed during the conflict, thus denied the most
basic right -- the right to life. Others have been forcibly
conscripted by the warring factions, and separated from their
families against their wills. Many have joined warring factions to
survive. All have been denied a normal childhood. Reintegrating
these children into their communities is a task of immense
difficulty. Some children's parents have been killed, their families
have fled, and no relatives can be found. In others, families have
refused to take children back because of the abuses they have
committed. Human Rights Watch believes that 18 is the minimum
age at which people may properly take part in armed conflict.