SPLM-N becomes first African non-state body to commit to child protection
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June 30, 2015 (GENEVA) - The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North
(SPLM - N) on Tuesday signed the Geneva Call’s Deed of Commitment for
the Protection of Children (DCPC) and become the first African armed
non-State actor (ANSA) to commit to child protection.
JPEG - 23.9 kb
SPLM-N SG Yair Arman signs the Deed of Commitment protecting children
in armed conflict in Geneva on 30 June 2015 (Photo Geneva Call)
The Commitment is a mechanism developed by the Geneva Call, allowing
the signatories from the rebel groups that cannot become parties to
international treaties, to agree to respect a set of norms related to
child protection and provide them with the aid and care they require.
In a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Swiss group in Geneva,
the text was signed by the SPLM-N secretary-general Yasir Arman and
its head of political training, Orwa Hamdan Zaid and the Geneva Call’s
executive president, Elisabeth Decrey Warner.
In line with the signed document, the SPLM-N "is committed to prohibit
the use of children in hostilities, ensure that children are not
recruited into or forcibly associated with armed forces, release or
disassociate children in safety and security, protect children from
the effects of military operations, and do their best to provide
children with the aid and care they need, in cooperation with
specialized child protection agencies," says a statement released
after the Geneva Call.
The signing comes after several meetings between the two sides to
discuss ways to implement the Commitment. The SPLM-N chairman and his
person were in Geneva two weeks ago to finalize the text with the
non-governmental group.
In his speech, Arman reiterated the SPLM-N commitment to observe human
rights and protect children and women rights particularly, stressing
they are part of the movement’ goals and objectives in a democratic
Sudan.
"In the past two year we have established a commission of children,
women and civilians, we have a special court for the protection of
human rights, and also we have engaged in developing our basic rules
and documents related to the advancement of human rights," he said.
The SPLM-N secretary general revealed they would destroy soon their
stocks of land-mines.
He was referring to an agreement they signed with the Swiss based
group in August 2013 where the rebel group committed themselves to ban
the use of anti-personnel land-mines; which it claimed to have
captured during military operations.
FIRST AFRICAN GROUP
>From her side, Warner in her speech congratulated the SPLM-N for the
committing itself to protect children and stressed that they are the
first African armed movement to sign the DCPC.
"You are the first Africa movement in Africa to sign the Deed of
Commitment for the Protection of Children, so you can be proud of
that. But this also means you will be under scrutiny of many people,"
she said.
The president of Geneva Call said she wrote to the Special
Representative of the UN secretary-general for children and armed
conflict Leila Zerrougui, UNICEF and other concerned agencies to
inform them about the SPLM-N’s commitment.
She also expressed the readiness of her organization to provide the
rebel group with the needed support to implement the DCPC, including
assistance and training.
In a report to the UN Security Council, the UN chief accused all armed
actors active in Sudan including the SPLM-N of using and recruiting
children. But Armed dismissed the accusation during the meeting.
Since 2000, Geneva Call has been engaging armed non-state actors to
seek their compliance with international humanitarian norms.
The deeds of commitment are a set of documents that mirror
international treaties and allow armed non-state actors to declare
their adherence to humanitarian standards, as these actors cannot sign
international treaties.
(ST)
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