Worrying signs’ children are fleeing DRC to avoid forced recruitment by armed groups, says World Vision
GOMA, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Thousands of children fleeing a recent upsurge in
violence in eastern DRC are at risk of being forcibly recruited into
armed groups, said World Vision today.
The
majority of people fleeing violence in DRC are children, with some
reporting they are doing so to avoid forcible recruitment into armed
groups, the aid agency said from Goma.
Despite the release
of some of the estimated 30,000 child soldiers since the height of the
armed conflict in eastern DRC, there is evidence that children continue
to be recruited into the ranks of armed groups. The Government of the
DRC needs to immediately order the release of all children within the
ranks of its troops, says World Vision.
“Children are
hiding in the forest in North Kivu, and we know for certain that nearly
two hundred children have been kidnapped by armed groups recently and
forced to join in the fighting,” said World Vision’s Dominic Keyzer in
Goma. “Because of the difficult nature of collecting figures, we’re
worried the number of children being lost to the fighting is much
higher.”
“We are
particularly concerned that the majority of the refugees here in Uganda
appear to be children under 15 years of age,” said World Vision’s Stuart
Katwikirize, from the Ugandan side of the border. “Many are separated
from their parents, and are struggling to deal with what they’ve
endured.”
And in Rwanda,
World Vision’s Martin Tindiwensi said: “Our main concern is the
increasing number of children; 65% of the refugees are children and some
are unaccompanied.”
Adding to the
severity of the situation, said Keyzer, is the ongoing conflict and
insecurity are making it nearly impossible for humanitarian
organizations to intervene. The fighting has forced World Vision to
suspend major, life-saving programs in some areas of eastern DRC, and
launch responses in both Uganda and Rwanda.
“The effects of
this are just heartbreaking – many children in eastern DRC have lived
with violence and uncertainty for the last 20 years, and although they
have built up good coping mechanisms, constant displacement exposes them
to further risks,” said Keyzer.
Forced recruitment
into armed groups is just one of many of the risks children are facing
as a result of the conflict. Little or no access to clean water, food or
health services, let alone schooling or safe places, will exacerbate
poverty and child deaths in DRC, said Keyzer.
“The most critical
programs we’ve had to shut down include emergency water and sanitation
projects responding to outbreaks of cholera near Rutshuru. The fighting
is putting this on hold, and threatening the gains that have been made
in eastern DRC over the past few years,” he said.
Water and sanitation specialist Jonas Habimana reached Goma late last week after evacuating out of Rutshuru.
“When
I was forced to leave, the situation was very desperate. People were
afraid, they were running, and now we’re receiving reports from our
local partners still in Rutshuru that youth are being kidnapped by armed
groups,” said Habimana.
Building a lasting
peace for children caught up in the conflict might be difficult, but
needs to be a priority for everyone involved, said Keyzer.
“The UN
stabilisation force is overwhelmed, governments remain pre-occupied with
the political context of the conflict, but we need guaranteed safe
corridors to be able to reach women and children caught up in it. The
conflict affects our ability to do our job, every day,” he said.
World Vision field
staff over the border in Kisoro District, Uganda, where more than 30,000
people are seeking refuge, and in northern Rwanda, where nearly 20,000
are gathered, report suffering of children and women as basic service
systems struggle to cope.
“It’s an incredibly
sad thing to see,” said World Vision’s Sylvia Nabanoba in Uganda.
“There are lots of sick kids in the camp who can’t reach the health
centre because it’s too far – the camp spans over 18 kilometres. I saw a
malnourished boy last week who I’m worried will die if he doesn’t get
attention. His mother was holding back tears as she spoke to me.
“Pregnant women are
writhing in pain on a mattress on the floor because there are no beds
in the health centre. It makes you feel incredibly angry at those
continuing to cause this conflict. No child should be subjected to
this,” she said.
Tindiwensi in
Rwanda said: “Ten children have so far died from malnutrition in the
camp. I witnessed the burial of a two-year-old child and seeing the
grief her mother was going through was heart-rending.”
The protection of
children, and their families, has to be the key focus of the Ugandan,
Rwandan and DRC governments, and all parties to the conflict, said
Keyzer.
“We’ve seen the
difference that can be made when peace gets a chance. Despite the
complexity of the fighting, the majority of people are yearning to live
in peace after nearly 20 years of upheaval. That message needs to be
heard by the few who continue to fight,” he said.
World Vision has
photos available from the refugee camps, as well on-the-ground staff
available for interviews in Goma, Uganda and Rwanda.
SOURCE World Vision
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