General Gum Maw, deputy commander-in-chief of the Kachin Independence Army said on August 18, that the organisation is still recruiting child soldiers and the group has adopted a policy of conscription for all adult males.
Speaking after a meeting with a number of political parties at the Myanmar Peace Center, General Gum Maw said the KIA had made attempts to put an end to the recruitment of child soldiers.
“The upper ranks have ordered that our forces no longer recruit child soldiers but the lower ranks continue with recruitment, it is a problem for every army, if we witness it we will take action,” said the General.
Sai Kham Lai Kham of Red Shan Youth Union told Mizzima on August 19 that the recruitment of Red Shan children, who live in Kachin State, by the KIA appeared to have decreased recently but he was aware an instance of Red Shan children been recruited against their will as recently as April.
Mizzima Daily reported on August 14 that another armed ethnic group; the Karen Nation Union said they had released all the child soldiers they had once recruited. On August 1, Union Government forces announced they had released 91 child soldiers but UNICEF said they believed there were still more serving in Tatmadaw forces.
