Network On Humanitarian Assistance Network on Humanitarian Action N Child soldiers from a legal perspective A literature based case study of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Uganda. Linda Hårsta Löfgren Supervisor: Göran Lysén Master Thesis 30 ECTS International Humanitarian Action NOHA, December 2013 Uppsala University “One of the most sacred of human laws is the requirement that children should be protected from cruelties, since they represent the future of humanity. Their abusive recruitment into armed conflicts is a grave breach of this sacred law: it is a war crime and, indeed, should also be treated as a crime against humanity.”1 1 Udombana, Nsongurua J (2006), p. 108 2 | Page Table of Contents ABSTRACT..............................................................................................................................5 PREFACE.................................................................................................................................6 ACRONYMS............................................................................................................................7 CHAPTER ONE......................................................................................................................9 1.1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................9 1.2. RESEARCH PROCESS.................................................................................................10 1.2.1. THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES...............................................................................10 1.2.2. RELEVANCE TO THE FIELD OF HUMANITARIAN ACTION.........................11 1.2.3. RESEARCH LANDSCAPE....................................................................................11 1.2.4. METHODOLOGY...................................................................................................14 CHAPTER TWO...................................................................................................................16 2. INTERNATIONAL LAW..................................................................................................16 2.1. THE RECRUITMENT AND ROLES OF CHILDREN ASSOCIATED WITH ARMED GROUPS...................................................................................................16 International humanitarian law...........................................................................16 International human rights law...........................................................................18 International criminal law...................................................................................19 International law on child labour........................................................................20 Customary law....................................................................................................20 Cross-border recruitment....................................................................................20 2.2. INTEGRATION OF CHILDREN INTO ARMED GROUPS...................................21 Fundamental rights in humanitarian law.............................................................21 Fundamental rights in human rights law.............................................................22 Fundamental rights in international criminal law...............................................23 2.3. CHILDREN´S PARTICIPATION IN HOSTILITIES.................................................23 International humanitarian law...........................................................................23 International human rights law...........................................................................24 2.4. DISARMEMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION.........................25 International humanitarian law...........................................................................25 International human rights law...........................................................................25 International law on child labour........................................................................26 2.5. RATIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES BY THE DRC, UGANDA AND SIERRA LEONE…………………………………………...26 CHAPTER THREE...............................................................................................................27 3. RESEARCH FINDINGS...................................................................................................27 3.1. CASE-STUDY OF THE INVOLVMENT OF CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.............................................................27 BACKGROUND................................................................................................27 RECRUITMENT AND INTEGRATION OF CHILDREN INTO THE ARMED GROUPS............................................................................................................28 CROSS-BORDER RECRUITMENT.................................................................31 DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION.................32 3 | Page PEACEKEEPING FORCES AND MONITORING AND REPORTING MECHANISM...................................................................................................36 CONCLUSION..................................................................................................37 3.2. CASE-STUDY OF THE INVOLVMENT OF CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT - UGANDA...............................................................................................................40 BACKGROUND................................................................................................40 RECRUITMENT AND INTEGRATION OF CHILDREN INTO THE ARMED GROUPS............................................................................................................41 The Uganda People’s Defence Force and the local defence units.....41 The Lord Resistance Army............................................................43 CROSS-BORDER RECRUITMENT.................................................................45 DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION.................45 CONCLUSION..................................................................................................47 3.3. CASE-STUDY OF THE INVOLVMENT OF CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT - SIERRA LEONE.....................................................................................................49 BACKGROUND................................................................................................49 RECRUITMENT AND INTEGRATION OF CHILDREN INTO THE ARMED GROUPS............................................................................................................50 The APC........................................................................................51 NPRC...........................................................................................52 The CDF........................................................................................52 The RUF........................................................................................52 DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION.................54 CONCLUSION...................................................................................................57 3.4. CONCLUSION FROM CASE-STUDIES OF THE DRC, UGANDA AND SIERRA LEONE.......................................................................................................................59 THE RECRUITMENT OF CHILDREN ...........................................................59 Cross-border recruitment...........................................................60 Integration of children into armed groups................................61 Participation in hostilities...........................................................61 Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration......................62 The high level of impunity...........................................................63 CHAPTER FOUR...................................................................................................................64 4.1. CHALLENGES TO PREVENTION AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN INVOLVED IN ARMED CONFLICTS.....................................................................64 Binding nature of the international humanitarian legislation.65 Impunity.......................................................................................65 Bottom-up approach...................................................................66 Age-limit for the participation of children in armed conflict...67 The limited resources of the NGOs...........................................67 CHAPTER FIVE....................................................................................................................70 5.1 CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................70 BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................................................................................................72 REPORTS............................................................................................................73 INTERNET SOURCES.......................................................................................74 4 | Page ABSTRACT This thesis seeks to analyze the international humanitarian laws and human right laws governing the involvement of children in armed conflicts. As the international law prohibiting the involvement of children in armed conflict progress on paper, progress within the states falls behind, thus creating a gap between