Gary Fitleberg, February 23, 2005

Kofi Annan has called for children to be protected in war zones.

The UN Security Council should combat brutality against children in war zones by imposing arms embargoes, banning military assistance and restricting travel of key leaders, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated in a draft report.

Despite the development of protection standards, Annan said "... atrocities against children and impunity for violators continue largely unabated on the ground."

The report, prepared in association with Olara Ottunnu, the special adviser on children in conflict areas, was released a day before a scheduled debate by the 15-member Security Council debate on the subject.

Children in war zones are often killed, maimed and raped. Their schools are attacked and many are recruited and forced to become soldiers.

"In view of the widespread and unacceptable patterns of violations recorded in this report, the Secretary-General recommends that the Security Council take targeted and concrete measures where insufficient or no progress has been made," Annan said.

The report also noted abuses by UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo and said children as young as 12 had been bribed with eggs, milk or a few dollars for sex.

"The report expresses grave concern about the recent reports of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeeping personnel; it calls for swift action to punish those responsible and bring the practice to an end in all peacekeeping missions," Annan said.

The report listed 42 armed groups in 11 nations that should be punished for recruiting or using children in war. The countries listed are Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Colombia.

There are about 300,000 child soldiers around the world, according to estimates by Otunnu.

Annan fails to condemn Arab "Palestinian" terrorist organizations such as the "moderate" murderer Fatah-led Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization (PA/PLO) and its more extremist, fanatical, fundamentalist sister organizations Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad for educating and nurturing babies, children, teenagers to become terrorists through camps, media, public schools and religious institutions where hate, incitement, terrorism and violence is the base curriculum.

Annan fails to condemn the practice of sending these children to run in front of tanks, throw Molotov cocktails at soldiers and tanks, or terrorists surrounding themselves with children and woman to protect themselves while provoking war.

Annan fails to condemn the Christian and Jewish children being slaughtered on buses, on roads, in cafes and restaurants, in schools, in shopping areas and malls, and even in their beds while they sleep by the terrorists.

The United Nations of Arab/Islamist Oil "League of Nations" should be given a more accurate appropriate name. A few for consideration are the United Muslim Nations, United Arab Muslim League of Nations and last but not least United Nations Against Israel. Take your pick. All are accurate.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2005 Gary Fitleberg