Unity state child soldiers given goats
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By Bonifacio Taban Kuich
January 24, 2012 (BENTIU) – Child soldiers demobilised last year in
Unity State by the South Sudan Disarmament Demobilisation
Reintegration programme (SSDDR) have been given goats by Veterinaires
Sans Frontieres (VSF) on Monday.
JPEG - 15.5 kb
Child soldiers waiting for food, Rumbek, South Sudan, 2001 (AP)
Of the 130 demobilised children, 70 were members of the rebel forces
of Peter Gatdet in Mapel County of Lake State and other 60 were
disarmed from the South Sudanese army, Sudan People’s Liberation Army
(SPLA) 4th division in Unity State.
SSDDR targeted soldiers below the age of 18 years.
Unity state director for dissarmament, George Gatloi Koang told Sudan
Tribune on Tuesday that SSDR in collaboration with NGO’s witnessed VSF
handover of 30 goats to six children who were reunited with their
family last year in Rubkotna county.
“Last year we demobilised 133 children. [...] 69 children have now
received their goats and also together with a food for three months”,
said Koang.
Koang added that they are working with the SPLA section on child
protection to make sure that children do not involved in army.
He urged children who were disarmed not to enter to the army and
cautioned any child found re-entering army will be arrested.
He called upon parents to encourage their children to continue with
their schooling rather than joining militarily.
Nyakuony Tuel a mother reunited with her children in Rubkotna County
told Sudan Tribune that the “true shame goes to us as parents” but
that “we don’t have full responsibility for our family”, explaining
that it can difficult to control unruly children.
Majiongdit, a veterinarian officer for VSF said, during the handover,
“we are giving those goat, for them to multiply, within four to five
months.” He suggested that the resulting goats could be used some as
marriage wealth.
(ST)
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