Myanmar Slams Human Rights Group On Child Soldier Report

October 31, 2007 8:29 a.m. EST

Yangon, Myanmar (AHN) - The Myanmar Information Ministry denied accusations that their government recruits and uses children as soldiers.

Information Deputy Director Ye Htut described the allegation, by Human Rights Watch, as baseless information and exaggerated lies.

Ye was reacting to the report, "Sold to Be Soldiers: The Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers in Burma" where the Human Right s Watch said that the Junta was taking children as young as 10 into its armed forces.

The group explained that the Myanmar is turning to children because of high rate of desertion within its regular forces and the lack of volunteers among adults to support their expanding military operations.

The report also alleges that the Military is offering handsome payments to recruiters for every child delivered.

The group cited the case of an 11-year-old boy who was forcibly enlisted although he is small and undernourished.

These children, the group said, are trained for 18 months and some of them are sent to battle zones.

After the training, the Human Rights Watch said, children are tasked to participate in abuses such as burning villages and using civilians for forced labor.

Ye insisted that Myanmar's armed forces prohibits the recruitment of minors and does not practice forced enlistment.

He said officers who violate regulations by causing someone to be enlisted against his will or by recruiting children will be tried in military court.

He added there have been 30 military personnel punished for violation of recruitment regulations and more than 140 enlisted children who were dismissed from the service and returned to their parents between 2004 and 2007. .