Demobilizing Child Soldiers in Burundi

Demobilizing Child Soldiers in Burundi Anwulika Okafor: You’re watching UNICEF television. UNICEF will provide immediate medical support, clothing, shoes, and food to 200 child-soldiers recently released by dissidents from Burundi’s last rebel group, the Palipehutu-FNL. UNICEF represents to Françoise Gruloos recently visited the children in Gitega on the 30th of April. She noted that the only girl among them had been separated from the boys, and that most of the children knew their communities of origin. to Françoise Gruloos: We are very, very proud and happy today for this children to bring them back to their childhood. Anwulika Okafor: The children released to a team of government, UNICEF, United Nations, and African Union officials from the dissidents' camps in Randa and Buramata. Negotiations for the children's release became urgent as fighting continued between the mainstream FNL and government forces. At Randa camp on 25 April 2008, the Minister of National Solidarity, Miss Immaculée Nahayo, thanked the United Nations especially UNICEF for supporting the government in their eight months of negotiations. The Integrated Office of the U.N. in Burundi expects that the team spirit which ensured the children's freedom will be maintained to bring about their full reintegration into society. Silas Ntigurirwa: We shall proceed with heir vocational training and for those who wish to return to school, we will get them readmitted to school. Anwulika Okafor: So far, only 15 of the former child soldiers have agreed to go back to school; most have opted instead for a vocational training. Between 2004 and 2006, UNICEF supported the demobilization and reintegration of 3013 child soldiers from government and other armed groups. This Anwulika Okafor reporting for UNICEF television, unite for children.