The Effects of Children Enrolment in Armed Forces/Groups On Sustainable Development in D R Congo Case Study of Bukavu/ South Kivu (2003 2008)

ABSTRACT This research was based on “The Effects of children enrolment in Armed forces/groups on Sustainable development in D R Congo, Case Study of Bukavu District”. The study was guided by three objectives namely: to determine the impact of armed conflicts on children, to assess the effects of child soldiers on sustainable development of Bukavu, and lastly to investigate ways of stopping recruitment of child soldiers and measures to mitigate its impact on sustainable development. A purposive or judgmental sampling method was used to select the sample size. However documentary review, observation and discussions were also used to supplement and validate the data collected through the self-administered questionnaire. The major findings include identification of the impact of armed forces/groups on children and that in different forms such as; difficulties met during the military service, and after military service as consequences of it, and lastly the challenges met by different bodies when trying to reintegrate them through DDR process. It has been found that Bukavu district will face at a certain time a high level of illiteracy which will result in lack of qualified manpower in all sectors of development thus poor production since most child soldiers and ex-child soldiers are not willing to rejoin their normal process of education. Which will lead them to be thieves and bandits in the community and creates a huge impact on human resources and community development as a result of the use of child soldiers. Insecurity and harassment on local population, lack of investment, criminalities and VII slaughters cases as well on local population and youth manipulation in Bukavu were evaluated at very high level due to a big number of children used as child soldiers. Hence fighting impunity, making public awareness on the problem of child soldiers utilization and its impact on the society, and conducting permanent lobbying action towards government in order to take good measures and strict rules to punish whoever uses child soldiers, putting an end to conflict, lightening the condition of studying, alleviating poverty and promoting the conditions of living in Congo, were discovered as best ways among others to halt the use of child soldiers in armed forces. Additionally, to mitigate the consequences of child soldiers for the sustainability of development the following ways were found of great value: Effective and sustainable actions of child soldiers’ DDR must be taken. The government should raise public awareness on DDR of child soldiers, and make it a must to take appropriate and sustainable actions such as good counseling of social rehabilitated former child soldiers. Involvement of NGOs, churches, and civil societies working hand in hand to execute effectively and efficiently the National Program Disarmament, Demobilisation and Rehabilitation (NPDDR) of child soldiers and fighting the proliferation of small armed groups have to be encouraged. Monitoring on reintegrated former child soldiers being done for at least two years to assure their integration and rehabilitation is complete, as well as creating vocational schools. The researcher recommends that the government should fight impunity, end conflict and poverty. It should provide good education, reinforce laws on children protection and promotion, and revise the process of DDR especially on its implementation and time allocated. Civil Societies, NGOs ix and other institutions should ensure good counseling of former child soldiers; conduct permanent lobbying actions and encourage peace and security initiatives. The government together with all the community should be characterized with a team work spirit in order to fight practically the use of child soldiers. Formers child soldiers must be welcomed and considered by their families and communities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Titles Pages

Declaration A

Declaration B ii

Approval Sheet

Dedication iv

Acknowledgement V

Abstract vii

Table of contents ix

List of Tables xiv

List of Figures xv

List of Acronyms xvi

CHAPTER ONE: THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE 1

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the Study 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem 6

1.3 Purpose of the study 7

1.4 Research Objectives 7

xi

1.4.1 General Objective of the Study 7

1.4.2 Specific Objective of the Study 7

1.5 Research Questions 7

1.6 Scope of the Study 8

1.7 Significance of the Study 9

1.8 Operational Definitions of Key Terms 10

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 15

2.0 Introduction 15

2.1 Situation of Children in War and Armed conflicts in DRC 16

2.1.1 Background 16

2.1.2 Children and Armed conflicts in DRC 16

2.1.3 Child soldiers in DRC 17

2.1.4 Government Armed Forces 17

2.1.5 Mai-Mai armed group 18

2.1.6 The MLC, RCD-K/ML and Ugandan Forces 18

2.1.7 The RCD Goma (RCD-G) and Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) formerly

(RPA) 19

2.2 Conceptual Frame work 20

2.3 The Impact of Armed conflicts on Children 21

xii

2.3.lTrends of armed conflicts on children .22

2.3.2 Risks to children of participating in Armed Conflicts 22

2.3.3 How Child Soldiers are used in Armed Forces/groups 24

2.3.4 Position of the Government of DRC on the problem of Children and

Armed conflicts 26

2.4 Impact of Child soldiers on local population in Bukavu 27

2.4.1 Impact of child soldiers on socio-economic development of

Bukavu 28

2.4.2 Children and Sustainable development 28

2.5 Mitigation of armed conflict impact on children and promotion of

sustainable development 29

2.5.1 Disarmament Demobilization and re-integration (DDR) of Child

soldiers in the society 31

2.5.2 Preventing Future recruitment 34

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 36

3.0 Introduction 36

3.1 Research Design 36

3.2 Research Population 37

3.3 Sample Size 37

XIII

3.4 Sampling Procedure .37

3.5 Research Instruments 38

3.6 Validity and Reliability 40

3.7 Data Gathering Procedures 40

3.8 Data Analysis 41

3,9 Ethical Considerations 42

3.10 Limitations of the Study 42

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND

INTERPRETATION OF DATA 43

4.1 Introduction 43

4.2 Children involved in armed forces/groups during the period of 2003 —

2008 43

4.3 Age of child soldiers 45

4.4 The effects of armed conflicts on children 48

4.4.1 Difficulties met by child soldiers during military services 48

4.4.2 Consequences of these Difficulties on the rest of the life of a child

soldier 50

4.4.3 Challenges faced by NGO5 during integration Process 52

4.4.4 Attitude of child soldiers towards DDR process 55

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4.4.5 Reason why child soldiers behave differently or have different

attitudes vis a vis the DDR process 57

4.5 The effects of child soldiers on sustainable development of Bukavu

district 63

4.5.1 Child soldier utilization and sustainable development 63

4.5.2 Magnitude of child soldier’s effects on social and economic

development in Bukavu 65

4.6 Way forward to halt or stop the use of child soldiers by armed

forces/groups 68

4.6.1 Mitigating the consequences of use of child soldiers on sustainable

development 71

CHAPTER FIVE: FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS,

RECOMMENDATIONS 75

5.0 Introduction 75

5.1 Findings 75

5.2 Conclusions 81

5.3 Recommendations 82

Area of further research 84

REFERENCES 85

APPENDICES 88

APPENDIXI: Transmittal Letter 88