EL FASHER (18 Dec.) - The Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Minni Minawi (SLM-MM), will refrain from recruiting or using child soldiers any longer. Minawi announced the decision after his participation in a workshop on peace and security in Darfur that took place on 9-11 December in Addis Ababa.
The technical workshop in Addis Ababa was organised by Unamid in cooperation with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) with the aim “to figure out the position of the non-signatory rebel movements to the Darfur peace process and to find a way to begin a new peace process,”
The workshop also dealt with issues related to international humanitarian law and human rights.
The head of Unamid, Dr Mohamed ibn Chambas, has welcomed the decision. “Unamid appreciates the commitment of SLM-MM to adhere to the international laws and principles on the protection of children against violence,” he said. “Involving children in armed conflict is a serious crime that not only endangers their own lives but will also affect negatively their future and that of their societies.”