SSA-S denies recruiting child soldiers

_{By: Mu Byan Binn}
 
“The United Nations should not listen to outside. We, the SSA invite the UN to come here and see the truth.  Our mandatory policy is to recruit people as soldiers from 18 to 45 years old,” said the chairman of Restoration Counsel of Shan State (RCSS), Col Yawd Serk through an interpreter during the press conference on Shan State National day, 7th February in Loi Tai Leng, his headquarter, opposite Mae Hong Son, Thailand.  
 
“Although they are over 18 they look like 14 -15 years old because of malnutrition,” he added. 

 

_{SSA soldiers}

Similarly, on February 12, a press release made by Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) flatly denied the UN report that accused its Karenni Army recruit child soldiers saying "there is no justification for the inclusion of the Karenni Army in the list of non-state armed groups" making use of child soldiers in armed conflict. 
 
" We have on many occasions invited interested parties, including the UN's country representive, UNICEF and Human Rights Watch, to visit the areas where the Karenni Army operate to verify these facts for themselves...The KA will offer them logistic assistance and open access so they can monitor the situation", the press release stated.  It also demanded the UN to remove the KA from the list of non-state armed groups recruiting child soldiers. 
 
The nine non-state armed groups that UN accused of utilising child soldiers are: the Karenni Army, the Karenni Nationalities People Liberation Front (ceasefire), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (ceasefire), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (ceasefire), the United Wa State Army (ceasefire), Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council (ceasefire), the Kachin Independence Army (ceasefire), the Karen National Liberation Army and Shan State Army-South.  The report also accused the SPDC of recruiting child soldiers.