Mon Kon is not a child soldier – as children who have been forcibly conscripted into the armed forces are commonly known – but the phenomenon saddens him.

“I’m not happy when a child is a soldier,” says the 15-year-old pupil of Torit Model Primary School, as he demands freedom of choice to all children in the country. “We should be allowed a choice on this matter. When a child becomes a soldier then he is not useful anymore,” he says.

Mon was speaking during a ceremony to mark the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers – also known as the Red Hand Day – organized by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in collaboration with UNICEF (the UN children’s fund), and the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare in South Sudan’s Torit area.

The event, under the theme “Children NOT Soldiers” aimed to sensitize the masses on the negative effects of involving children in armed conflict.

“The policy of deploying members of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces with their families is a challenge that encourages children to adopt military behaviour, and end up in military uniforms,” explained Tobiolo Alberio Oromo, the Torit area governor.

He further stressed the need to relocate army barracks a distance away from civilian residences, and separate families of fallen soldiers from the military bases to avoid the unintentional integration of children into the army.

Although no official records exist to indicate the scale of recruitment of child soldiers in Torit, reports indicate that recruitment of children into the armed forces occurs on in large numbers each year.

These children thus conscripted, are said to suffer inhumane treatment at the hands of their recruiters.

“We shouldn’t be involved in any activity that includes killing people, because it can haunt us forever,” Hilary Onek, a 14-year-old pupil of Torit East Primary School appealed to leaders.   

UNMISS, through its Child Protection Unit, works with partners to stop the recruitment of children in armed forces, and to demobilize and rehabilitate children who have been scarred by the practice, which is one of the six grave violations against children under the international law.

Speaking at the event, UNMISS Head of Field Office in Torit called on the armed forces to demobilize children in the army.

“This year we reiterate the call for accountability to release all children associated with the armed forces and groups per the provisions set out in the revitalized peace agreement,” said Ms. Caroline Waudo.

“The rehabilitation and reintegration of children associated with armed forces or groups is an important part of peace process and requires the participation all,” emphasized the principal UNMISS official in Torit.