Sudan’s Children at the Forefront of War… and Minister Admits Army Involvement
Agencies: Sudanese News
Observers, legal experts, and professional bodies considered statements made by Sudanese Education Minister Al-Tuhami Al-Zein, exempting students participating in military battles from tuition fees, an official admission by the government of the involvement of children in combat operations. They noted that this constitutes a violation of international and local laws.
The Sudanese minister’s statements coincided with a major controversy sparked by a video clip posted by activists on social media showing the killing of children fighting in the ranks of groups allied with the army during battles that took place in Kordofan, western Sudan, on Wednesday.
Political activist Hisham Abbas considered the appearance of children recruited into the ranks of groups allied with the army in the recent Kordofan battles a crime for which the Sudanese army leadership bears responsibility, and which confirms the military’s failure to prevent allied groups from arming and using children in war.
Exploiting the Void
Observers point out that some armed groups are exploiting the psychological vacuum that Sudanese children are experiencing amid the current war, after more than 15 million of them were out of school since the outbreak of fighting.
The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee described the minister’s statements regarding exempting students participating in military operations from tuition fees as a flagrant violation of children’s rights and the legal and international obligations undertaken by the Sudanese state.
Legal Violation
According to the principles of the Paris Convention, a child soldier is any child associated with a military force or group. This includes any person in any capacity, including, but not limited to, children, boys, and girls used as fighters, cooks, porters, or spies.
Lawyer Moez Hadra confirmed to Sky News Arabia that international and domestic criminal laws, as well as the Child Law, all clearly criminalize the recruitment of children. He pointed out that Article 136 of International Humanitarian Law and several articles and rules contained in similar international treaties and protocols prohibit the recruitment and use of children in combat and consider it a war crime. “The recruitment and use of children remains one of the most serious violations committed during the current war,” Hazrat told Sky News Arabia.
