3000 children held in captivity and used as child soldiers over the last four years by Greater Pibor Administrative Area leader David Yau Yau will be released starting Tuesday, the United Nations announced.
The “demobilization of children” effort began yesterday in Gumuruk village, Jonglei state with the liberation of 280 child soldiers who gave up their weapons and uniforms, the UN said in a press statement.
The children, aged 11 to 17, were underage members of Yau Yau’s Cobra Faction, a militia which signed a peace deal with the Juba government last year after waging an armed rebellion.
The release was overseen by the National South Sudan Commission for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, the UN child welfare agency UNICEF, and the Cobra Faction.
Yau Yau himself did not attend.
‘Long and challenging process’
According to the UN statement, the children will require long-term reintegration support to recover from the psychological abuse they suffered under Yau Yau’s command. Many of the former child soldiers have never been to school, the UN said.
The UN warned of a “long and challenging process” for the children, noting that the ex-child soldiers may face discrimination when they return home and that there is a risk some would return to conflict.
“Psychosocial support, education, and skills training” will be necessary to help the children reintegrate and move on from their traumatic experiences, the UN said.
UNICEF will provide the children with food, shelter, clothing, and basic health care on a temporary basis.
The cost of the disarmament and reintegration program is approximately $2,330 per child over the next two years, nearly 7 million dollars total. A Swedish foundation, the European Union, Germany, and the UK are footing the bill.
UNICEF said it is still short 10 million dollars to meet the children’s post-conflict needs.
More than 12,000 children are currently held in captivity as soldiers or laborers by South Sudanese armed groups including government and rebel forces.
Photo: Greater Pibor Administrative Area leader David Yau Yau with former UNMISS chief Hilde Johnson in Juba
Related:
Report: S Sudan gov forces used child soldiers in Friday Bentiu fighting (20 Aug.)
Families of S Sudan child soldiers speak out (22 Jul.)
Minister denies SPLA recruitment of child soldiers (26 Jun.)