Myanmar Releases 75 Child Soldiers

According to the United Nations (UN), 75 child soldiers were released by the Tatmadaw, the Myanmar Armed Forces. Underage recruits discharged by the Tatmadaw now totalled to 924 since signing a Joint Action Plan with the UN 6 years earlier to end the use of child soldiers. Myanmar has been facing international condemnation over human rights abuses, from the recruiting and using of child soldiers to the recent phlight of the recent plight of Rohingya Muslims.

It saddens me that these child soldiers were robbed of their childhood by their own nation. Although efforts have been made by the UN to end the use of child soldiers in Myanmar, I wonder if such efforts are effective in putting a permanent end to child recruitment by armed forces in Myanmar.

Reading the article by Reuters did not provide any information to how children were being recruited into the Tatmadaw. Channel NewsAsia and ReliefWeb articles further reveal that children were kidnapped or forced into becoming child soldiers. In addition, not only the Tatmadaw but also ethnic armed groups such as the Kachin Independence Army and the Shan State Army South recruit and use child soldiers. In my opinion, steps taken by the UN to end child soldier use would see little success as long as the Myanmar and ethnic armed militaries continue fighting. I also wonder if the UN took steps to engage with ethnic armed forces in ending the use of child soldiers as well. I was unable to find any information regarding the number of child soldiers in Myanmar (be it exact numbers or estimates). I am curious if there are any female child soldiers.

Sources:

channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/myanmar-releases-75-more-child-soldiers–unicef-10674456

reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/release-75-ex-child-soldiers-myanmar-armed-forces-encouraging-srsg-gamba?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=shared&utm_source=twitter.com

reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-military/myanmar-military-releases-75-child-soldiers-from-service-idUSKCN1LG15M?il=0

Further reading (article about the experience of a former child soldier): rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/former-myanmar-child-soldier-describes-long-struggle-to-turn-life-around-08172017154924.html