SOUTH SUDAN
The involvement of children in armed conflicts within South Sudan has always been a problem. In December 2013, conflict erupted in South Sudan when violence broke out between the soldier loyal to President Salva Kiir and those individuals loyal to the president’s former vice president, Riek Machar. While the conflict initially began as a politically fueled dissent, it soon took on an ethnic dimension to its fighting. Soon South Sudan’s two largest ethnic groups, the Dinka (whom Mr. Kiir identifies with) and the Nuer (whom Mr. Machar identifies with), were fighting against each other.
Last month, UNICEF estimated that al least 9,000 children had forcibly recruited into the armed forces of both sides of the conflict to help with the ongoing fight. At one point, it seemed a promising outcome was possible when both sides of the conflict agreed to allow humanitarian corridors to be opened and also agreed to a cease-fire. Unfortunately, within days of the signing, fighting had re-broken out.
The recruitment of the child soldiers has been most prominent in the three areas that have been the most affected by the spreading violence: the Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Unity States. Because of the added ethnic conflict, sometimes child soldiers are taken from opposing ethnic backgrounds as revenge. Last month in a meeting with the United Nations, both sides expressed that they were committed to ending the violence and in particular the use of child soldiers. Many are hopeful that the conflict will soon come to an end but others who have been around for the multiple attempts at peace are not as convinced that this time of peace will last.
The involvement of children in armed conflicts within South Sudan has always been a problem. In December 2013, conflict erupted in South Sudan when violence broke out between the soldier loyal to President Salva Kiir and those individuals loyal to the president’s former vice president, Riek Machar. While the conflict initially began as a politically fueled dissent, it soon took on an ethnic dimension to its fighting. Soon South Sudan’s two largest ethnic groups, the Dinka (whom Mr. Kiir identifies with) and the Nuer (whom Mr. Machar identifies with), were fighting against each other.
Last month, UNICEF estimated that al least 9,000 children had forcibly recruited into the armed forces of both sides of the conflict to help with the ongoing fight. At one point, it seemed a promising outcome was possible when both sides of the conflict agreed to allow humanitarian corridors to be opened and also agreed to a cease-fire. Unfortunately, within days of the signing, fighting had re-broken out.
The recruitment of the child soldiers has been most prominent in the three areas that have been the most affected by the spreading violence: the Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Unity States. Because of the added ethnic conflict, sometimes child soldiers are taken from opposing ethnic backgrounds as revenge. Last month in a meeting with the United Nations, both sides expressed that they were committed to ending the violence and in particular the use of child soldiers. Many are hopeful that the conflict will soon come to an end but others who have been around for the multiple attempts at peace are not as convinced that this time of peace will last.
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