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Since early March 2015, Terre des hommes has been actively participating in a Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Forces and/or Armed Groups (CAAFAG) programme in South Soudan, in the newly delimitated Greater Pibor Administrative Area. Steve Ringel, Humanitarian Officer, oversaw the launch of Tdh’s Reintegration programme of former child soldiers in Labrab, a small dwelling 37 kilometers north of Boma. He shares his impressions with us.
“Children are not equipped to make life or death decisions”
A few weeks ago, in partnership with UNICEF, Tdh was actively involved in the demobilisation and reintegration of child soldiers who were part of an armed group operating in South Sudan. “Because children are not equipped to make life or death decisions, forcing them into these types of positions has a detrimental effect on the quality of their childhood, sometimes even on the rest of their existence. A team of Tdh expat staff and local employees successfully reintegrated 283 former child soldiers into the different communities of the target zone”, said Steve Ringel, who took part in the process. “Family reunification was facilitated by the fact that the children were seen as heroes having fought and prevailed against the mighty Sudan People’s Liberation Army.”
Failing infrastructure
The newly delimitated Greater Pibor Administrative Area is part the Jonglei State, where nearly 600,000 people were forced to leave their homes, making it the state most affected by internal displacement in the war-torn country of South Sudan. But the very basic infrastructure is lacking in Tdh’s operational environment: the only way in and out is by air. Once on the ground, motorbikes and quad bikes are the only motorised means of transportation. “A lasting integration of former child soldiers requires basic infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and roads but also a resilient economy to limit the risk of children returning to armed groups. Labrab is a resource-barren outpost, where water is fetched from the river, no hospital and no formal teaching facilities exist or have ever existed”, Steve explained.
Helping children reintegrate
After demobilisation in April 2015, the 283 former child soldiers were received at Tdh’s Interim Care Center in Labrab where food and shelter was provided until more adequate care arrangements could be identified for each child. “From the onset of the operation, Tdh’s main goal was to assure a sustainable reintegration of former child soldiers. Accelerated learning programmes but also vocational trainings are the two most viable options to attain that goal.” About one month later, the Interim Care Center was transformed into a Youth Center – a child-friendly space where a range of occupational activities are proposed to the children. In addition, a Vocational Training Center is being set up in Boma.
