GOC CONTINUES EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE CHILD SOLDIERS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000595 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR AF/C STATE FOR S/USSES OSD FOR DASD HUDDLESTON NSC FOR GAVIN LONDON FOR POL - LORD PARIS FOR POL - BAIN AND KANEDA ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PREF MARR MASS CD SUBJECT: GOC CONTINUES EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE CHILD SOLDIERS IN ITS OWN RANKS REF: A. NDJAMENA 499 ¶B. NDJAMENA 362 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Government of Chad continues its efforts to eliminate child soldiers in its own ranks, after having made definite progress on underage personnel in Chad rebel ranks. The GOC completed a significant sensitization mission regarding child soldiers with recent visits to its Moussouro and Mongo military camps. The MFA's military coordinator in charge of the mission strongly underscored the GOC's position on the illegality of children in the military ranks and official intolerance for those who permit it to happen. At one stop, the GOC also had the opportunity to welcome back former child soldiers from rebel ranks. The GOC plans to build on these efforts by developing a national action plan on child soldiers in the coming months. ¶2. (SBU) The GOC takes this effort very seriously and is committed to continuing the campaign, invoking promises that FORMIN Faki made to Secretary Clinton and UNSYG Ban. GOC officials are the first to admit, however, that a change of mentality is required, claiming that even current senior military officers once were "child soldiers" by current definitions. Such efforts are just a start in addressing the problem of child soldiers in Chad, but we find most responsible GOC officials sincere and engaged on the issue. We anticipate that the USG, along with other international actors, will be invited to participate in the creation of the Action Plan, and we aim to help the GOC develop long-term actions to stem this problem. END SUMMARY. -------------- OUTREACH TO ADDITIONAL MILITARY CAMPS -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Government of Chad completed a major sensitization mission regarding child soldiers with recent visits to the Moussouro and Mongo military camps. The team, again led by MFA military coordinator General Idriss Dokony Adiker, included GOC military officers, diplomats, and UN officials from MINURCAT, UNICEF, and UNDP. As with earlier stops (Ref A),the General clearly explained the illegality of children in the military ranks and the GOC's intolerance 
for those who permit it to happen. He commented that he has given these same instructions to all heads of services and affirmed the authority of the local governor to transfer to UNICEF's care any children found in the law enforcement and military ranks. Together with UNICEF interlocutors, the General underscored that the term "child soldier" included "enfants associes meaning anyone under the age of 18 who was associated with the military, whether or not they carried arms. ¶4. (SBU) During the stop at the local Gendarmerie division in Moussouro, General Dokony added to his speech by calling upon the force, as "guardians of the law," to live up to its higher responsibility -- ensuring that children were not present in the ranks of the other services. ¶5. (SBU) While reviewing the troops in Moussouro, General Dokony turned over to UNICEF three soldiers suspected of being underage. UNICEF later verified that all three were adults and legitimate members of the Chadian National Army. A similar review of the troops in Mongo found no one suspected of being underage. The UNICEF child protection specialist who participated on the team said that UNICEF was overall happy with the GOC's sensitization mission, from the first trip in August through these final visits. Further, the UNICEF interlocutor said that he had used the opportunities to develop contacts in all the camps who would call UNICEF if there was a suspected child soldier in the ranks. NDJAMENA 00000595 002 OF 002 -------------- REBEL CHILD SOLDIERS -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Although the Chadian military and law enforcement establishment was the focus of the GOC mission to Moussoro, the team's visit coincided with UNICEF's ongoing verification effort of the child soldiers who had rallied under rebel leader Ahmat Soubiane. At the time, there were 92 underaged child soldiers still in Chadian military custody, while another 35 had already been released to the Minister of Social Action's temporary center in preparation for moving to UNICEF's Ndjamena-based transit center. ¶7. (SBU) The General addressed the 92 assembled children, welcoming them back to Chad and highlighting the care and assistance that awaited them through UNICEF's reintegration program. He also used the opportunity to announce a change in the GOC's strategy toward returning rebel child soldiers, the elimination of the 40,000 FCFA (approximately 90 USD) in remuneration. He told the children that they should not expect any money from the GOC and that it was a stain on Chad's reputation that some local children were pretending to be former child soldiers simply to receive the payout. ¶8. (SBU) The GOC's change of heart was not well accepted. In the two weeks following the General's announcement, children at the UNICEF- and CARE-operated transit center instigated three separate hostage crises to demand the 40,000 FCFA payment. GOC and UNICEF had to intervene but UNICEF interlocutors said that the government is not united on addressing the problem to ensure that is won't happen again nor is the GOC organized to mediate if this continues. During the third event, UNICEF said that its own staff had to negotiate the release of the center's director because no one in the government with the requisite level of authority could be located. The GOC ended up provided some compensation to the former child soldier so the situation has abated but no one believes it to be resolved. -------------- GOC'S PLANS GOING FORWARD -------------- ¶9. (SBU) The GOC is in the midst of finalizing the mission report and developing its next steps in addressing child soldiers in the Chadian military and law enforcement. Several recommendations have emerged from discussions among GOC officials and international community members. The GOC wants to create a technical group that will organize a national workshop with the aim of creating a national action plan for child soldiers; restrict the selling of military clothing and related objects to non-military personnel; support training for the Gendarmerie in its role to protect children; and hold special meetings with the military ranks to reinforce GOC instructions against recruiting minors. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Dokony takes this effort very seriously and is committed to continuing the campaign, invoking promises that FORMIN Faki made to Secretary Clinton and UNSYG Ban. He is the first to admit, however, that a change of mentality is required, claiming that even he was a "child soldier" by current definitions. His efforts are just a start in addressing the problem of child soldiers in Chad but we find him and the other GOC officials sincere and engaged on the issue. We anticipate that the USG, along with other international actors, will be invited to participate in the creation of the Action Plan, and we aim to help the GOC develop long-term actions to stem this problem. END COMMENT. ¶11. (U) Minimize considered. NIGRO