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The tragedy of child soldiers is well known to Africa and to
those of us seeking justice in Africa and with Africans. As
you may recall, in May 2000 the United Nations adopted a global
ban on the use of children as soldiers -- through the Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The protocol
establishes 18 years of age as the minimum age for conscription,
forced recruitment, or participation in armed conflict.
By now 93 countries have signed the Optional Protocol, including
the United States. Ratification, however, has been slow, and
only last month did New Zealand become the tenth nation to do
so, thus enabling the protocol to enter into force on February
12, 2002. Two additional countries have now ratified, bringing
the number to 12. The U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee
will hold ratification hearings in January or February.
We urge you to contact Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE), chairperson
of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Jesse Helms
(R-NC), ranking minority member of the Committee, stressing
the importance of U.S. ratification of the Optional Protocol,
and to call upon them to make ratification a top priority in
the new session of Congress.
Given recent problems with mail delivery in Washington, please
contact your Senator by calling 202/224-3121, or through electronic
mail. You can find e-mail links by going to www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
Other members of the Committee are as follows:
Democrats:
Sarbanes (MD)
Dodd (CT)
Kerry (MA)
Feingold (WI)
Wellstone (MN)
Boxer (CA)
Torricelli (NJ)
Nelson (FL)
Rockefeller (WV)
Republicans:
Lugar (IN)
Hagel (NE)
Smith (OR)
Frist (TN)
Chafee (RI)
Allen (VA)
Brownback (KS)
Enzi (WY)
If you are from any of the states represented by these Senators,
please contact them along the lines cited above, using (if you
wish) the draft letter included below.
If you are not from any of the states represented on the Foreign
Relations Committee, please be sure to copy your letter to your
own Senators, making clear to them that you are a constituent.
It is always helpful to us to know of your letter, and we are
grateful when you can share any replies you receive.
Here is a sample draft letter. Please adapt it to conform to
your own style and emphases:
Dear Senator:
The exploitation of children as soldiers has been and remains
a tragedy in many parts of the world. I understand that the
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
which serves to impose a global ban on child soldiers, is to
come before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the next
two months. I urge that the Senate move forward quickly to ratify
the protocol, and that you will do all in your power to ensure
that ratification is a top priority for the new session.
In these difficult times it is especially important for the
United States to act to address concerns and needs of nations
and peoples throughout the world. I look forward to hearing
from you as to your views on this crucial matter.
Yours sincerely,
General Assembly: The 213th General Assembly (2001) of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):
- Renews its call on the United States government, the only
government in the world that has not done so, to ratify the
Convention on the Rights of the Child, in order to give the
full support of our government and people to the promotion
and protection of the dignity and rights of children, not
only in our country, but throughout the world.
- Calls on the United States government to ratify the two
protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child that
were approved in 2000, which are designed to prevent the use
of children as soldiers and to prevent the commercial sexual
exploitation of children through sale, prostitution, and child
pornography. (Minutes, 2001, Part I, p. 288 )
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