Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Forced military recruitment since Laurent-Désiré Kabila's death, including the kidnapping of students from schools (2002 - February 2003)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 28 February 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | RDC40561.FE |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Forced military recruitment since Laurent-Désiré Kabila's death, including the kidnapping of students from schools (2002 - February 2003), 28 February 2003, RDC40561.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/41501c540.html [accessed 31 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
For information on forced recruitment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC), please see RDC38995.FE of 26 June 2002.
With regard to the information published in 2002 and 2003, in addition to that provided in the above-mentioned Response, the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported the views of Jean-Marie Guehenno, the UN Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, who said that "the human rights situation in the [RDC] had 'deteriorated significantly'" and that the forced recruitment of children was still practised (14 Feb. 2003).
Amnesty International also reported that "[o]n the eve of the anniversary of the entry into force of an international treaty banning child soldiers, the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers warned that the problem of child soldiers, far from being solved, is still prevalent" in the RDC (11 Feb. 2003).
A 2003 report of the UN Security Council indicated that "[c]hild soldiers are still present in all armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in some cases representing up to 35 per cent of the troops, and are being sent to the front lines" (21 Feb. 2003).
Three sources cited a report of a fact-finding mission by Refugees International, which indicated that the "net reductions in child soldiers are minimal," and that "[d]emobilized children are closely monitored by rebel commanders and are vulnerable to being snatched from transit centres or forced to re-enlist when they returned to their villages" (Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers 31 Mar. 2002a; IRIN 7 Feb. 2002; Refugees International 6 Feb. 2002).
The Norwegian Refugee Council cited the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, which stated in November 2002 that "[c]ommitments by the government and RCD-Goma to stop recruiting children and to demobilize child soldiers have been slow to materialize" (n.d.).
The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers reported that the demobilization process for child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo
has been described by some as largely a "public relations" exercise, with minimal net results. Only three months after the government released a total of 208 child soldiers, BUNADER, the national bureau established to oversee demobilised children's rehabilitation and reintegration into society, returned 83 of the children who had turned 18 to the Congolese Armed Forces. One of the children reported that there are still more than 3,000 children needing demobilisation from the FAC; other sources report there may be over 6,000 (31 Mar. 2002b).
For information on the National Demobilisation and Reinsertion Office (Bureau national pour la démobilisation et la réinsertion, BUNADER) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC), please see RDC41062.FE of 14 February 2003.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Amnesty International. 11 February 2003. "Amnesty International - Coalition to Stop the Use of the Child Soldiers: Children Should not be Used in Adult Wars - 12 February Anniversary of the UN 'Child Soldiers' Treaty." Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers. 31 March 2002a. "Child Soldiers News, Mar. 2002 - DRC: Minimal Net Reductions in Child Soldiers." _______. 31 March 2002b. "Action Appeal: Child Soldiers on Trial in the DRC." Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN). 14 February 2003. "DRC: UN Official Warns of 'Culture of Impunity' as Obstacle to Peace." _______. 7 February 2002. "NGO Reports on Impact of War on Children." Norwegian Refugee Council. n.d. "Democratic Republic of the Congo: Attacked by all Sides." http://www.db.idpproject.org/Sites/idpSurvey.nsf/wViewSingleEnv/Democratic+Republic+of+the+CongoProfile+Summary> [Accessed 25 Feb. 2003]
Refugees International (RI). 6 February 2002. "Children in the Eastern Congo: Adrift in a Sea of War and Poverty." United Nations Security Council. 21 February 2003. "Thirteenth Report of the Secretary-General on the UN Organization Mission in DR Congo." Additional Sources Consulted
Attempts to contact an oral source were unsuccessful.
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