DR CONGO: UNICEF AND ITS PARTNER HELP FREE OVER 230 CHILDREN FROM MILITIA

DR CONGO: UNICEF AND ITS PARTNER HELP FREE OVER 230 CHILDREN FROM MILITIA
New York, Nov 16 2007 8:00AM
Two hundred and thirty two children have been freed from Mayi Mayi forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with help from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and its partner, Save the Children -- but the UN agency warned that more must be done to end the use of underage conscripts in fighting in the country's troubled Kivu provinces.

The group was freed from Mayi Mayi forces in North and South Kivu over the last few days with support from the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC) and following "an intensive media and outreach campaign on the non-recruitment and non-use of children by armed groups," UNICEF said in a news release

The children had been recruited recently in the wake of increased conflict in North Kivu, where fighting between opposing groups has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee.

"The majority of the 232 children are currently in transitory care facilities and awaiting family reunification. Once reunified, they will receive assistance to go back to school, undertake vocational training, or start small income generating activities," UNICEF said.

While lauding this positive development, the agency said it remains concerned about the hundreds of children who remain in armed groups and forces in the DRC.

The agency called on all armed groups and forces to release these children immediately into the care of child protection agencies as part of the National Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) Programme.

2007-11-16 00:00:00.000

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