Sold to Be Soldiers

The Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers in Burma

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Map of Burma

Terminology and Abbreviations

I. Summary

The Government of Burma’s Armed Forces: The Tatmadaw

Government Failure to Address Child Recruitment

Non-state Armed Groups

The Local and International Response

II. Recommendations

III. Methodology

IV. Background

V. The Tatmadaw: The State Military

The Tatmadaw’s Staffing Crisis

Recruitment

The Su Saun Yay Recruit Holding Camps

Training

Deployment and Active Duty

Desertion, Imprisonment, and Re-recruitment

The Future of Tatmadaw Child Recruitment

The Government of Burma’s Response to the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers

VI. Child Soldiers in Non-State Armed Groups

United Wa State Army

Karenni Army

Karen National Liberation Army

Shan State Army – South

Kachin Independence Army

Democratic Karen Buddhist Army

Kachin Defense Army

Mon National Liberation Army

Karenni Nationalities People’s Liberation Front

Shan Nationalities People’s Liberation Army

Rebellion Resistance Force

KNU-KNLA Peace Council

VII. The International Response

The United Nations Security Council

United Nations Country Team

UNICEF

ILO

Neighboring country and cross-border initiatives

VIII. Legal Standards

Child Recruitment as a War Crime

International Standards on Demobilization, Reintegration, and Rehabilitation

Acknowledgements

Appendix A: SPDC Plan of Action regarding child soldiers
(pdf file - 4 pages, 949 kb)

Appendix B: Human Rights Watch letter to the UN Mission of Myanmar, August 22, 2007 (pdf file - 2 pages, 104 kb)

Appendix C: Reply from the UN Mission of Myanmar, September 12, 2007 (pdf file - 3 pages, 90 kb)

Appendix D: KNPP Deed of Commitment regarding child soldiers
(pdf file - 4 pages, 252 kb)

Appendix E: KNLA Deed of Commitment regarding child soldiers
(pdf file - 2 pages, 96 kb)

Volume 19, No. 15(C)   October 2007