Prometheus 6   

Child Soldiers Are Back On the Frontline
June 9, 2003
Abidjan

As Liberian President Charles Taylor fights for his very survival, child soldiers, many of them orphans of the conflict, are back at the forefront of the fighting. Every day they can be seen riding around the streets of the capital Monrovia in pick-up trucks proudly toting their automatic rifles.

Relief workers in Monrovia said that on several occasions this year forces loyal to President Charles Taylor had raided schools and camps of displaced people in search of young recruits to fight two rebel movements. These now control over two thirds of the country and are fighting their way into the outskirts of the capital.

… The rebels also use child soldiers. During one recent LURD attack on Gbarnga, a large town 140 km northeast of Monrovia, eye witnesses said they saw children firing rocket propelled grenades as well as automatic assault rifles.

Many of the young combatants are resigned to the fact that they themselves will die in combat before they grow up.

… J-Boy, who claims to be 16 but looks younger, wears a faded yellow T-shirt with the inscription "Death better than living."

"I will die for my country!" he said defiantly in broken Liberian English. "I na (not) sitting down for deku (dissidents) walk over me." Questioned further, J-Boy said he was following in the footsteps of his brother who had already died in combat. "My big brother was a soldier man but he na died. He told me to fight because when you soldier you can get money."