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KNU Welcomes Watch List Report on Children in Armed Conflict in Burma

The Karen National Union (KNU) welcomes the new report on Burma by the Watch List on Children in Armed Conflict.

The KNU is deeply concerned about the impact on our Karen children of the Burmese military dictatorships military offensive against our people. The Burmese Army operates a shoot on sight policy against civilians which even includes children. Children suffer from displacement, hunger and disease as a result of the attacks by the Burmese Army, which the United Nations has described as breaking the Geneva Convention

The KNU welcomes the recommendation in the report that this is an issue that the United Nations Security Council should address.

We accept all the reports recommendations relating to non-state actors, and call on the military dictatorship, United Nations, and other non state actor groups, many of which are in fact proxies of the military dictatorship, to do the same.

In relation to recruitment of child soldiers and the requirement of documentation, it is already the policy of the KNU not to recruit child soldiers, and the age of all new recruits is checked. The minimum recruitment age is 18 years old. This policy has been in force since 2003.

In relation to working with the UN Country Team and providing unrestricted access for humanitarian personnel, the KNU would welcome working with the UN Country Team on this issue. Unlike the military dictatorship, which the Country Team does work with, the KNU does not place restrictions on humanitarian access in areas under our control.

In relation to prosecuting personnel accused of child recruitment, it is already KNU policy to prosecute anyone accused of child recruitment, rape, killing and other serious crimes, and subject those found guilty to the full penalties.

In relation to non-state actor groups ending child recruitment, and action by the Security Council to enforce this, the KNU does not recruit child soldiers. The main recruiter of child soldiers in the Burmese Army. There are also ceasefire organizations which are proxies of the Burmese military dictatorship, including in Karen State, which recruit child soldiers. We would welcome the Security Council taking action against the dictatorship and its allies to stop recruiting child soldiers.

In relation to MRM Task Forces, the KNU would welcome dialogue. Based on inaccuracies in recent reports by the Special Rapporteur and the Secretary General, we do not believe that the United Nations has a proper understanding of the real situation in relation to the recruitment of child soldiers and other abuses against children in Karen State. It is the Burmese dictatorship and their proxies that are engaged in such abuses. The KNU protects children, and provides what health and education services our limited resources can.

In relation to providing humanitarian access, this is already the policy of the KNU. We do not understand why the international community is willing to channel aid through, and work closely with, institutions controlled by the military dictatorship, which is blocking humanitarian access, while at the same time they refuse to work with or through the KNU, a democratic organization that is committed to human rights, and which places no restriction on delivery on humanitarian assistance.

We welcome the recommendation that non-state organization with no recent record of using child soldiers should be removed from the United Nations list of organizations using child soldiers. The KNU does not use child soldiers, and we repeat our invitation to the United Nations to come and verify this for them, instead of repeating, without any attempt at verification, the misinformation and anti-KNU propaganda put out by the military dictatorship.

We repeat our call for the United Nations to meet with the KNU and independent Karen civil society organizations to learn the truth about the severe human rights abuses being committed by the dictatorship and its allies, and the humanitarian crisis our people face as a result of lack of humanitarian assistance.. We call on the United Nations to cooperate with the KNU in protecting children in Karen state.

Executive Committee
Karen National Union

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