29/12/02Jean Victor NKoloONUPS
Retour au sommaire ACMEDIASMensonge par omission au plus haut niveau
Nous avons reçu le 28/12/02 une réponse de M. Jean Victor Nkolo, sous la forme d'un document Word en anglais. Voici la traduction des rares passages utiles :

Q: Pourquoi la liste ne contient-elle pas toutes les situations dans lesquelles des enfants sont utilisés comme combattants?

R: Le conseil de sécurité a limité sa demande à une liste de situations qui sont actuellement à l'ordre du jour ("currently on its agenda") . Le rapport contient aussi des renseignements sur de nombreux autres conflits qui ne sont pas à l'ordre du jour du conseil de sécurité, et dans lesquels des enfants sont recrutés et utilisés comme combattants, ainsi que sur des conflits qui ont pris fin récemment et pour lesquels des programmes de démobilisation et/ou de réintégration concernant les enfants soldats sont en cours."

Et dans la question 5, on note aussi : "On espère qu'avec la création de la cour criminelle internationale,ceux qui ont recruté et utilisé des enfants soldats seront bientôt mis en accusation en tant que criminels de guerre." et "le rapport fera bientôt l'objet d'une discussion au Conseil de Sécurité dans le but d'une action concrète."

Comme vous l'imaginez, une telle réponse nous a laissé sur notre faim ! Nous avons donc répondu "Merci pour cette première réponse, même si elle n'explique pas grand chose. Pour quelle raison le conflit israélo- palestinien n'est-il pas à "l'ordre du jour" en ce qui concerne le recrutement d'enfants combattants malgré les preuves multiples et évidentes ?" .

Epilogue : Réponse reçue le 30/12

Merci pour votre réponse. Votre question devrait plutôt être adressée au Conseil de Sécurité.Nous n'avons pas notre mot à dire concernant l'élaboration de leur ordre du jour.
S'il y a selon vous un point particulier traitant d'un problème particulier qui relèverait du mandat attribué à nos services (OSRSG-CAAC), veuillez me le faire savoir.

(Texte d'origine : Greetings and thanks for reverting.Your question should be put to the Security Council. We have no say in the making of its agenda. Should you have a specific point that you belive has not addressed a specific issue under and commensurate with the mandate of our Office (OSRSG-CAAC), please let me know.)

Vous n'imaginiez tout de même pas que l'ONU allait répondre sur le fond ?!



(Remerciements à Myriam pour les traductions et bravo à tous ceux dont les courriers de protestation ont permis d'avoir cette première réponse.)




Voici le texte complet de la première réponse de M. Nkolo.


Questions and Answers on the
Third Report of the Secretary-General
on Children and Armed Conflict
December 2002

The Report of the Secretary-General is part of a continuing engagement by the United Nations Security Council on the protection of children affected by armed conflict. It is the third annual report by the Secretary-General to the Council and answers a request contained in Resolution 1379 (2001) for a list of parties to armed conflict that use or recruit child soldiers in violation of international standards.


Q:WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL'S REPORT?

A: The report is significant because, in requesting a list of governments and insurgent groups that use or recruit child soldiers, the Security Council has sent a political message that those who violate children's rights during conflict cannot continue to do so with impunity and that they will be held accountable for their actions. It is a bold step forward in global efforts to render unacceptable the exploitation and victimization of children during times of conflict.


Q:WHY DOESN'T THE LIST CONTAIN ALL SITUATIONS WHERE CHILDREN ARE USED AS COMBATANTS?

A: The Security Council confined its request to a list of situations that are currently on its agenda.The report, however, also contains information about many other conflicts not on the agenda of the Security Council where children are recruited and used as combatants, as well as recently ended conflicts where demobilization and/or reintegration programmes for child combatants are under way.


Q: HOW WAS THE INFORMATION GATHERED TO COMPILE THE LIST?

A:The information was gathered from a wide array of sources, including the relevant substantive units at UN Headquarters, UN peacekeeping missions, UN Country Teams in the field, academic experts, and non-governmental organizations and other civil society groups.


Q: WHAT INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS ARE VIOLATED BY THOSE WHO USE OR RECRUIT CHILD SOLDIERS?

A: A very impressive body of norms and standards for the protection of children during conflict has been developed and has come into effect over the past several years. It includes:

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which classifies conscription, enlistment or use in hostilities of children under 15, as well as attacks on schools and hospitals and grave acts of sexual violence, as war crimes;
The Optional Protocol to the Convention of the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, which sets an age limit of 18 years for compulsory recruitment and direct participation in hostilities, and requires States parties to raise the minimum age for voluntary recruitment to at least 16;
Three Security Council resolutions - 1261 (1999), 1314 (2000), and 1379 (2001) - on the protection of children during conflict;
ILO Convention 182, which defines child soldiering as one of the worst forms of child labour and sets 18 as the minimum age for forced or compulsory recruitment; and
The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols that stipulate that children shall be the object of special respect and shall be protected against any form of assault during conflict and that they should be provided "with the care and aid they require."

Other international instruments which are important for the protection of children are the African Charter on the Rights and Well-being of the Child - the first regional treaty establishing age 18 as the minimum age for all recruitment and participation in hostilities - and the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Land Mines and on their Destruction.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict has sought and obtained important commitments from governments and insurgents for the protection and well-being of children in conflict and post-conflict situations. These have included commitments not to use landmines, not to attack schools or hospitals, to release abducted children and not to recruit or use children as child soldiers.


Q: ARE INSURGENT GROUPS (NON-STATE ACTORS) ALSO HELD ACCOUNTABLE UNDER THESE INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS?

A: Yes. International instruments such as the Geneva Conventions, Security Council resolutions, the Optional Protocol and the Rome Statute of the ICC apply to insurgents as well as governments - both of whom can and will be held accountable. It is hoped that with the establishment of the International Criminal Court, we shall soon see the indictment as war criminals of those who have recruited and used child soldiers.

In addition, no conflict today, no matter how remote, is an island unto itself, and parties to conflict (governments or insurgents) do not enjoy being singled out for condemnation. All of them care deeply about how they are perceived in the court of public opinion. This provides an important lever of pressure for the protection of children.


Q: WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS TO BE TAKEN?

A: The list contained in the Secretary-General's Report can be used as an advocacy tool by governments, regional and sub-regional organizations, civil society and non-governmental organizations, and the media in a global mobilization to protect children from conflict. All actors can play an important role in applying pressure on governments and insurgents to cease their exploitation of children and in further raising public awareness about the issue.

On the UN's part, the OSRSG-CAAC, UNICEF and other UN agencies, funds and programmes will continue to work together around the world to ensure that the norms and standards for the protection of children are applied on the ground. The report will soon be discussed by the Security Council with a view to taking action.

The Special Representative serves as international advocate for children affected by armed conflict by promoting standards and measures for their protection in times of war as well as their healing and social reintegration in the aftermath of conflict.

For further information, please contact:
The Office the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General
for Children and Armed Conflict
Jean-Victor Nkolo, Communications Officer
Telephone: +1-917-378 8464 (Mobile); +1-212-963-9879, Fax: +1-212-963-0807
nkolo@un.org


29/12/02Jean Victor NKoloONUPS
Retour au sommaire ACMEDIASMensonge par omission au plus haut niveau