VOA标准英语2008年-Children Fight on Front Line of DRC War

By Kari Barber
Goma
02 January 2008
 

Much effort is made to stop the recruitment of child soldiers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, but aid agencies say thousands of children still fight on the front lines of the rebel war. United Nations officials say armed groups enter displacement¹ camps to recruit, or forcibly recruit new fighters. Children who escape often are re-recruited and forced to fight again. Kari Barber reports from eastern Congo on what is being done to prevent child soldiers from re-entering the war.

At age 12 Izawadi Ndahajo says Congolese soldiers abducted² him on his way home from school and forced him to fight in their ranks.

He sings about the difficulties child soldiers face.

Now at 17 he is free after the United Nations convinced Congo's government to revamp its military and release child soldiers.

He says, "The children need to know who they are, what their work is, what their rights are. 'I have the right to education. I have the right to protection.' But in the military they have no right to protection. Their rights are stolen."

But thousands of children continue to fight on the rebel side.

And former child soldiers, struggle to reintegrate into society. Alpha Karupala and Samuel Sadiki Kakulu are learning to be mechanics.

In the conflict-torn region, there are few job opportunities for the children and many return to the war.

Samuel says it is not easy, "Life is difficult. It is a life of fighting. First, I was abducted and fought with the government, then later with the Mai-Mai rebels and then with the government again."

Joachim Fikiri Kifungo runs a local organization called Pami that has helped hundreds of boys to return to civilian³ life.

Kifungo says the kids have done undescrible crimes, but he wants to offer them hope.

"They have done very bad things like rape⁴ and pillaging," he says. "Often when the children want to return, the neighbors resist or the family is afraid of having a child living with them that is considered by others to be a criminal."

Rain leaks through the tin roof of the house that Izawadi Ndahajo shares with 12 family members.

He says he hopes child soldiers might hear his songs and be encouraged to escape.

Meanwhile, the war between the Congolese government and rebel groups is becoming more intense. And recruitment continues.

1 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

2 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。