Burma is one of the world’s worst countries in its extensive
use of child soldiers.
Thousands of children are pressed into service as soldiers,
laborers, and worse.According to the
Secretary General’s 2007 report to the UN Security Council on children and
armed conflict, ten parties in Burma use child soldiers, with the state
Tatmadaw (army) the worst offender.
Exact numbers of child soldiers in the Tatmadaw are
impossible to verify, since the SPDC denies recruiting or using any
children.However, numerous reports
describe “recruiters” seizing or coercing street children and children at bus
stations and other public places, threatening the children with imprisonment or
violence if they flee.Once in the army,
children suffer from poor nutrition, lack of medical care, and violence from
other forces or Tatmadaw officers.
In April 2007, The UN Security Council working group on
children and armed conflict placed the situation of child soldiers in Burma on
its agenda.The SPDC claims to be
cooperating with the UN, yet still denies recruiting or using child soldiers in
the first place.
Links/Sources
UN Office of the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, “Developments in Myanmar”
