By Ebi Kesiena
South Sudan’s renewed efforts to end the recruitment of child soldiers are beginning to show results, with several children recently released by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), according to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Brigadier Akech Maker, Commander of SSPDF Brigade 16 in Yambio, Western Equatoria, attended the official handover ceremony.
“We, in the SSPDF, will not allow the recruitment of children into the army, If a child shows interest, we will guide them towards education instead. I urge institutions to support these children fully, so they do not return to barracks.” He said.
Officials from the Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) Commission carried out registration and verification exercises to help facilitate the children’s transition back to civilian life. They will also continue to monitor the situation to ensure none of the children return to combat.
Chairperson of DDR in Western Equatoria, Hellen Ernasio, said, “We shall continue monitoring to see that they are not there so that our army is clean from that list of shame that came upon them because of recruiting children and other violations against child rights.”
Adjusting to civilian life
At a temporary shelter, UNICEF staff and social workers are supporting the children with counselling, learning materials, and personalised guidance to help them reintegrate into their communities.
“We are going to provide psychosocial support to these children in the transit center that is at CTC, and we will also assess their needs in terms of skills or what they would like to go for, formal learning, or skills training,” said Clement Gbatanawo from the UNICEF office in Yambio.
Also, Rita Bampo, Child Protection Officer at the UNMISS Yambio Field Office, said, “UNMISS will continue to monitor and ensure this reintegration process is successful, and then these children are in society, and there is no power to pull them back into the armed group or any armed force. We are urging all parties to the conflict, the commanders out there, to ensure that any child within their command is released to the respective organisation or entity.”
UNICEF estimates that around 19,000 children are still associated with armed groups in South Sudan. For the children newly released, the hope is that their journey as soldiers has finally come to an end.
