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SOUTH SUDAN / CHILDREN ARMED FORCES
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / CHILDREN ARMED FORCES
TRT: 03:50
SOURCE : UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS : NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 15 MARCH 2023, YEI, SOUTH SUDAN / FILE
FILE – 30 AUGUST 2022, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Various shots, SSPDF soldiers matching
FILE – 03 SEPTEMBER 2018, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
2. Various shots, child soldiers
15 MARCH 2023, YEI, SOUTH SUDAN
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Kweku Adoah Bassaw, Team Leader, UNMISS Child Protection, Central Equatoria:
“It is very true that we still have a lot of schools under military occupation, for whatever reason. In Central Equatoria alone, we have got a report from our partners that 30 schools are still under military occupation. As UNMISS, we have done a lot to get all these schools vacated by the forces; we have had a lot of engagement with the military commanders; we have had a lot of engagement with the community leaders, the paramount chiefs and sub chiefs; and even county commissioners to get all these schools vacated.”
FILE – 21 JANUARY 2020, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
4. Wide shot, SSPDF soldiers singing
FILE – 03 SEPTEMBER 2018, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
5. Various shots, child soldiers
15 MARCH 2023, YEI, SOUTH SUDAN
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kweku Adoah Bassaw, Team Leader, UNMISS Child Protection, Central Equatoria:
“As international humanitarian law or the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child clearly indicate that soldiers should not occupy schools; should not use schools for any military purpose and should not be within the proximity of schools. So, the [closer] soldiers are to the school, it is in violation of this law.”
FILE – 22 FEBRUARY 2023, YEI, SOUTH SUDAN
7. Various shots, soldiers sitting
FILE – 21 JANUARY 2020, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
8. Various shots, soldiers dancing
FILE – 22 FEBRUARY 2023, YEI, SOUTH SUDAN
9. Various shots, children at borehole
15 MARCH 2023, YEI, SOUTH SUDAN
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Brigadier John Lual, Commander, South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, Yei River County:
“All soldiers will vacate schools and go back to their military barracks, so that students can go back to school. Secondly, we need peace. If there is peace, schools will operate and if there is no peace, schools will not operate, and humanitarian organizations will not operate in this area.”
FILE – 24 MAY 2019, KODOK, SOUTH SUDAN
11. Various shots, soldiers leaving school
15 MARCH 2023, YEI, SOUTH SUDAN
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Margret John, Director of Education, Yei:
“We would like to stay together with soldiers but let them be a bit far from the school to give that environment for children to learn.”
FILE – 24 MAY 2019, KODOK, SOUTH SUDAN
13. Various shots, soldiers leaving school
FILE – 21 JANUARY 2020, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
14. Various shots, soldiers boarding a Lorry
The UN Peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, through its Child Protection Section, is sensitizing South Sudanese uniformed actors on how to end and prevent grave violations against children.
With South Sudan entering a critical phase in the implementation of its 2018 peace deal, the world’s newest nation needs to ensure it upholds the rights of every citizen, including children.
While thousands of former child combatants have been successfully reintegrated into society following the respite in political violence following the establishment of a transitional government of national unity, with the ongoing constitution-making process and preparations for its first-ever elections, it is now more pressing than ever to ensure that all children are protected from armed conflict.
SOUNDBITE (English) Kweku Adoah Bassaw, Team Leader, UNMISS Child Protection, Central Equatoria:
“It is very true that we still have a lot of schools under military occupation, for whatever reason. In Central Equatoria alone, we have got a report from our partners that 30 schools are still under military occupation. As UNMISS, we have done a lot to get all these schools vacated by the forces; we have had a lot of engagement with the military commanders; we have had a lot of engagement with the community leaders, the paramount chiefs and sub chiefs; and even county commissioners to get all these schools vacated.”
The six violations against children considered as grave: the recruitment and use of children, killing and maiming, sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, abductions, and the denial of humanitarian access to children in need.
SOUNDBITE (English) Kweku Adoah Bassaw, Team Leader, UNMISS Child Protection, Central Equatoria:
“As international humanitarian law or the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child clearly indicate that soldiers should not occupy schools; should not use schools for any military purpose and should not be within the proximity of schools. So, the [closer] soldiers are to the school, it is in violation of this law.”
Commander of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces in Yei, Brigadier John Lual, revealed that they are making every effort to educate those under their supervision to stop recruiting child soldiers, occupying schools and any form of child abuse; they are also working with partners to set up child protection focal points among their ranks.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Brigadier John Lual, Commander, South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, Yei River County:
“All soldiers will vacate schools and go back to their military barracks, so that students can go back to school. Secondly, we need peace. If there is peace, schools will operate and if there is no peace, schools will not operate, and humanitarian organizations will not operate in this area.”
Margret John, Director of Education in Yei, urged uniformed personnel to protect children and ensure their education isn’t disrupted.
SOUNDBITE (English) Margret John, Director of Education, Yei:
“We would like to stay together with soldiers but let them be a bit far from the school to give that environment for children to learn.”
The long-term objective when it comes to such advocacy is to protect and prevent the occurrence of grave violations against children perpetrated by armed forces and groups. This would ensure that South Sudanese armed groups will, finally, be removed from what is known as the list of shame.
The list being referred to is part of the UN Secretary-General’s report on the situation of children in armed conflict and contains national armies and other military groups known to violate one or more of the six grave violations.
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