Children's Rights Action (AFR.19/006/07)
Posted December 13, 2007 - 11:01am
Children living in the northern Central African Republic (CAR) are in peril. In the ongoing armed conflict there, children have been abducted by armed bandits locally known as Zaraguinas or coupeurs de route (highway bandits). Most of the abducted children are from the Mbororo (Pulh) ethnic group, a nomadic cattle rearing people who live in several countries in central and western Africa. Many Mbororo refugees from the CAR are currently living in camps run by UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, in southern Chad. Most fled their home country because of the conflict ravaging the northern CAR and the pervasive practice of child abduction for ransom.
Children are usually abducted when they are looking after the family cattle in the bush near their villages. Sometimes they are taken from their homes in the villages. Children are released after their family members or relatives pay heavy ransoms, often leaving their families destitute.
Some of the children abducted are reported to have been killed by the bandits because their families failed to pay the demanded ransom.
Virtually no action has been taken by the government or the international community to prevent these abductions or to protect children. This failure by the state and the international community has resulted in a situation where the children's rights to life, health, security of person and dignity are routinely violated with impunity.
The bandits target young children because they are easy to control and less likely to plan an escape. Most are young boys because they are traditionally responsible for looking after the family cattle.
Girls are responsible for looking after the cattle in families with no sons or very young sons and are sometimes abducted from the bush or from their homes. Occasionally girls have been raped during attacks on their villages but parents of abducted girls report that the Zaraguinas do not often subject them to sexual assault.
Some children have been abducted more than ten times and each time families have raised the ransom by selling their cattle, leaving them without their main source of income. Because of this, in addition to armed conflict and widespread insecurity, thousands of families have fled to southern Chad where they live in refugee camps.
Even when informed of attacks by the Zaraguinas, CAR security forces present in the area often refuse to intervene leaving families without protection. Despite its constitutional and international human rights obligation, the government of the CAR has failed to protect the population. Even in a situation of armed conflict, the government has a duty to protect all those in the country.
Following the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 1778/2007 which approved the deployment of a multi-dimensional presence (MINURCAT) in Chad and the CAR, the European Union decided on 15 October 2007 to conduct a military operation in eastern Chad and north eastern CAR, authorising the protection of refugees, displaced people and other civilians. It is crucial that this international presence is effectively and quickly deployed.
Please write to the authorities in the CAR, the UN Security Council and UNICEF making the points indicated:
Président de la République
Palais de la Renaissance
Bangui, République Centraficaine.
Fax +236 055620
(Your Excellency)
Ambassador Marcello Spatafora
Fax +1 212 486 1036
Email info.italyun@esteri.it
(Your Excellency)
Executive Director of UNICEF
Fax +1 212 887 7465
Email information@unicefusa.org
(Dear Executive Director)
Central African Republic
"War Against Children In The Wild North" (AFR.19/006/07)
Children living in the northern Central African Republic (CAR) are in peril. In the ongoing armed conflict there, children have been abducted by armed bandits locally known as Zaraguinas or coupeurs de route (highway bandits). Most of the abducted children are from the Mbororo (Pulh) ethnic group, a nomadic cattle rearing people who live in several countries in central and western Africa. Many Mbororo refugees from the CAR are currently living in camps run by UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, in southern Chad. Most fled their home country because of the conflict ravaging the northern CAR and the pervasive practice of child abduction for ransom.
Children are usually abducted when they are looking after the family cattle in the bush near their villages. Sometimes they are taken from their homes in the villages. Children are released after their family members or relatives pay heavy ransoms, often leaving their families destitute.
Some of the children abducted are reported to have been killed by the bandits because their families failed to pay the demanded ransom.
Virtually no action has been taken by the government or the international community to prevent these abductions or to protect children. This failure by the state and the international community has resulted in a situation where the children's rights to life, health, security of person and dignity are routinely violated with impunity.
The bandits target young children because they are easy to control and less likely to plan an escape. Most are young boys because they are traditionally responsible for looking after the family cattle.
Girls are responsible for looking after the cattle in families with no sons or very young sons and are sometimes abducted from the bush or from their homes. Occasionally girls have been raped during attacks on their villages but parents of abducted girls report that the Zaraguinas do not often subject them to sexual assault.
Some children have been abducted more than ten times and each time families have raised the ransom by selling their cattle, leaving them without their main source of income. Because of this, in addition to armed conflict and widespread insecurity, thousands of families have fled to southern Chad where they live in refugee camps.
Even when informed of attacks by the Zaraguinas, CAR security forces present in the area often refuse to intervene leaving families without protection. Despite its constitutional and international human rights obligation, the government of the CAR has failed to protect the population. Even in a situation of armed conflict, the government has a duty to protect all those in the country.
Following the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 1778/2007 which approved the deployment of a multi-dimensional presence (MINURCAT) in Chad and the CAR, the European Union decided on 15 October 2007 to conduct a military operation in eastern Chad and north eastern CAR, authorising the protection of refugees, displaced people and other civilians. It is crucial that this international presence is effectively and quickly deployed.
Please write to the authorities in the CAR, the UN Security Council and UNICEF making the points indicated:
To the CAR, call on the authorities to:
- deploy security officers in the north with clear instructions to protect civilian, especially children;
- co-operate with the UN Mission in the CAR and Chad and the European Union bridging operation and ensure their deployment in northern CAR;
- create an environment for displaced children in which they can enjoy their basic rights;
- investigate reports of child abduction and bring those responsible to justice;
- investigate and bring to justice those members of the CAR forces who have refused to intervene to rescue abducted children.
Address:
Son Excellence M. François BozizéPrésident de la République
Palais de la Renaissance
Bangui, République Centraficaine.
Fax +236 055620
(Your Excellency)
To the Security Council, urging them to
- promptly start the deployment of the MINURCAT and allocate resources to the mission to use all means necessary in full compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law, to protect children and other civilians at risk in northern CAR;
- ensure that the multi-dimensional operation takes into consideration the situation of children and helps to prevent abductions and other abuses against them.
Address:
(Chair of the Council for Dec.)Ambassador Marcello Spatafora
Fax +1 212 486 1036
Email info.italyun@esteri.it
(Your Excellency)
To UNICEF urging them to:
- make a detailed action plan to protect children from abduction and other forms of violence with the government of CAR;
- reinforce the presence of child protection experts in northern CAR and develop local mechanisms to prevent and protect children from abductions;
- take measures to provide abducted children with access to medical treatment including psychological support, and ensure that internally displaced and refugee children from the CAR enjoy their basic rights.
Address:
Ann M. VenemanExecutive Director of UNICEF
Fax +1 212 887 7465
Email information@unicefusa.org
(Dear Executive Director)
