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Focus on
Sierra Leone
Olara Otunnu visited Sierra
Leone in June 1998, September 1999 and April 2000. He received
commitments from the government, the Civil Defense Forces (CDF),
and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF).
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Olara
Otunnu on a visit to Sierra Leone
[Michéle Griffin]
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During his second visit, the
Special Representative proposed the establishment of a
National Commission for War-Affected Children. This proposal
is now being implemented.
During the visit in June 1998, the CDF committed themselves to
stop recruiting children under the age of 18. This commitment
was reiterated in the Lomé Peace Accord.
The Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group
(ECOMOG) and the CDF also agreed to provide special protection
to AFRC/RUF child combatants who came into their custody.
In September 1999, the RUF committed itself to not recruiting
children under the age of 18 and agreed that a humanitarian
team could visit the zones under their control.
Reintegration
As part of Mr. Otunnu's "Agenda for the Children of
Sierra Leone," a Child Protection Adviser was deployed in
the UN Mission in early 2000. The adviser's priority has been
the rehabilitation of war-affected children. The successful
reintegration of former child combatants and other separated
children requires a long-term approach and commitment.
Community-based reintegration programs aim to provide former
child combatants, girl mothers and street children with access
to education, skills training or apprenticeships.
Practical
Interventions
UNICEF and various NGOs have been developing projects for the
rehabilitation of former child soldiers in Sierra Leone. As of
August 2002, 4,826 out of 5,037 demobilized girl and boy child
ex-combatants have been reunified with their families. There
are also 2,241 demobilized child ex-combatants enrolled in the
formal education process, and 1,036 child ex-combatants in
vocational skills training programs throughout the country.
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[UNICEF]
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James spent almost
five years fighting in Sierra Leone's dense jungles, out of
his mind on cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and fear.
"When James came to us from the jungle after being
disarmed, he was very quarrelsome," says Alusine, one of
his psychosocial workers. "But he has changed greatly in
the year and a half since he was disarmed."
James has spent the past year learning carpentry skills at a
UNICEF-supported, Caritas community-based reintegration and
vocational skills training center.
"My favorite thing to make is a bed," he says
proudly. "It takes me about two days to build a bed. But
I can also make cupboards, stools and tables--I'm a good
carpenter."
Another project involving UNICEF, the International Medical
Corps and the Italian NGO COOPI, with support from USAID, is a
pilot project to remove scars from children who had the
acronyms of the military groups by which they had been
abducted cut into their bodies. This project combined plastic
surgery with psychosocial care and the reintegration of
children back into their communities. Eighty-two children--37
girls and 45 boys--have so far undergone successful
operations.
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[UNICEF]
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In September 1999,
after nine months as a rebel abductee, 14-year-old Alison was
finally freed following the signing of the Lomé Peace Accord
in July 1999-but she was neither completely physically or
psychologically free because of the scars from the letters
"RUF" cut into her chest. "As soon as I got
home, I was so happy to see that my father was alive, but I
was so ashamed and scared to show him the scar." "I
went to all the hospitals and health clinics," says
Alison's father. "But none of them could help her."
Alison tried to adjust back to life in her community, and for
the next two years, she lived alone with her secret, only
wearing clothes that were cut high around her neck so that no
one would see the letters. "I became quiet and isolated.
I didn't want anyone to find out what had happened to
me."
Finally, she took matters into her own hands and tried to
remove the letters with a caustic substance. The results were
painful; the RUF letters remained visible and new scars were
formed. Then she learned that UNICEF was going to start a
project to help children like her.
In October 2001, Alison underwent plastic surgery to remove
the letters from her chest. The operation was successful and
the letters are no longer visible. Marks do remain, but Alison
is much happier and feels freer.
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