An appeal against the abuses inflicted on child soldiers was launched recently by the archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. During his annual lesson at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, the Anglican Primate of all England, spiritual leader of 70 million faithful, spoke of the atrocities suffered by 300,000 child soldiers in the world. “The massacre and violent abuse of children in local conflicts throughout the world is being constantly repeated. It is equivalent to what happened in Beslan, in other words: the deliberate long-term exploitation of children, murderous violence, the calculated use of horrendous intimidation towards them, the prolongation of their suffering and their killing in large numbers”. The archbishop went on to say that “the use of child soldiers adds another element to this picture, because the assault also involves their souls as these children are made to participate in acts of hideous violence”. Rowan Williams also suggested a series of measures to put an end to the abuses, proposing harsher trade conditions and a reduction in arms sales, especially small arms such as those used by children. The archbishop also requested greater resources for protection, reintegration and reconciliation projects involving young combatants.
