Seanad debates

Thursday, 13 November 2003

United Nations Mission in Liberia: Statements.

 

I was glad to hear the Minister mention the problem of child soldiers. This has become a terrible problem in Africa. In Sudan and northern Uganda, children are kidnapped on a regular basis and forced to fight. They can be as young as seven and many of them are girls. Church leaders have contacted me about what is happening in Sudan and have asked me to make sure that, wherever possible, we make clear our abhorrence of this practice. I am sure the Minister will do that. Another problem for our soldiers in Liberia was illustrated on television recently. Most of these young people are on drugs. The leaders of rebel groups put them on drugs and give them all kinds of weapons: guns, machetes and so on. It was horrific to hear children talking about this and showing the amputations of hands and feet which had been done by children of their own ages.

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