Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Goma (Agenzia Fides) - In the last ten years around 36 000 child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been freed, but according to UNICEF, at least 6 000 are still enrolled in irregular militias. The Work "Don Bosco" in Goma is in the front line in the assistance operations to these small victims. "The forced recruitment continue, especially in the villages in the province of North Kivu, and children who try to escape are killed or tortured, sometimes in front of other children, for demonstration purposes", says Paolo Urbano, responsible of the health care sector of the Italian Cooperation, issued to Agi. According to medical sources of the Italian Cooperation, present in Kinshasa since 1999 and engaged in the international liberation of children, "the situation has improved but remains critical". "Our job is the social and civil reintegration of children because military recruitment devastates their lives", he added. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 07/13/2011)
