World Street Children News

PolitInfo.com - Several Congo Street Children Killed by Vigilantes in Mining Town - Sep 27, 2004 Kinshasa

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, government officials say at least 15 street children have been killed, possibly by vigilantes guarding lucrative diamond mines. U.N. officials say they have recovered six bodies of children who were burned or stoned to death.

There are thousands of street children in the Congo, where the social infrastructure has been devastated by years of war and neglect.

Mbuji Mayi is a dusty, bustling diamond mining town in the middle of the Congo. But during the last week, a dark story of attacks on street children has reached the capital, Kinshasa, 1,200 kilometers to the west. There are gruesome reports of a week-long spate of attacks on the town’s children, many of whom have been burned or stoned to death, while hundreds of others reportedly fled for their lives.

Ingele Ifoto, Congo’s minister for social affairs, says that between 15 and 19 children have been killed during the last week alone. The minister says some of the attacks have been linked to diamond miners who set up a defense force, following a series of robberies blamed on street children. United Nations humanitarian workers say they have heard that scenario, but note that there is general frustration with the estimated 8,000 street children in the town, many of whom roam the streets hoping to get a foothold in the lucrative small-scale diamond mines. The U.N. Children’s Fund says its staff recovered at least six bodies of children who were killed.

Trish Hiddleston, UNICEF’s child protection officer in Kinshasa, says some of these children were burned to death, while others appear to have died after being pelted with stones. She called on the authorities to maintain calm and ensure the town’s children are protected. Years of war and neglect have left the vast African country’s social affairs infrastructure in tatters, as the still divided transitional government struggles to create a sustainable peace.

This article uses material from VOA.

Children have made a hot, foul-smelling tunnel their home

In a wasteland next to a main road in Bucharest some of Romania’s street children - scraps of humanity - peer out from under a vandalised billboard.

Their home is in a tunnel running under the city that forms part of a network carrying hot water pipes.

There is no natural light - just a few candles on the walls. Rubbish is strewn across the floor.

And there are children who say they are 16, but look no older than 10, sniffing glue from bags.

These children say this "home" is their best option.

It is an option taken by 2,000 children in Romania, according to official statistics. But children’s charities believe the figure is a woeful underestimate.

‘A tragedy’

In the economic chaos following the collapse of communism, poverty has forced many onto the street to beg, steal and survive in any way they can.

Group leader Joby, 21, says he has lived in the tunnel for nine years.

"I do not wish anyone to be in this situation," he said.

"Everyone here would like to have their own family and home. The children on the street are my family - they are my brothers."

The children sniff glue for relief from their misery

But poverty is joined by another factor. Romania is in the midst of great change and is aiming to end its reputation for neglect and abuse of children.

The large orphanages - which stand as infamous remnants of former leader Nicolai Ceausescu’s era - are to be closed. International adoption has effectively been banned.

These measures must be achieved by 2007 if Romania wants to join the European Union.

The goals are admirable.

But corruption is rife and the infrastructure is shaky to non-existent in Romania. And charity workers say the measures result in many children being turned out of orphanages.

They are returning to violent homes or entering badly monitored foster care - and then ending up on the streets, charities say.

"From my point of view… it is a tragedy that we don’t find the right way of doing it," said Marian Zaharia of City of Hope.

‘Sold like animals’

City of Hope was set up a decade ago. It says it deals with 200 street children in this district of Bucharest alone.

Mr Zaharia estimates that 90% of children are raped on their first night - and older children use the younger ones to beg and steal for them.

They are taken in a car and sold like an animal, and used for prostitution in different houses Marian Zaharia, charity worker Baroness Emma Nicholson MEP defends the government’s measures

But he is most concerned by the increased targeting of these children by traffickers and paedophiles.

"They are taken in a car and sold like an animal, and used for prostitution in different houses," he said.

He did not believe how bad the problem was until he discovered an illegal brothel near his sister’s house.

"He had girls, starting with eight- or nine-year-olds - most of them coming up off the street," Mr Zaharia said.

Vulnerable girls

The Romanian government acknowledges the problem of child sex abuse, but it says the situation is worse in other countries.

It also says the numbers of street children are going down.

United Nations rapporteur on child prostitution and trafficking Juan Miguel Petit disagrees.

The children face the constant risks of violence and prostitution

He has just finished a two-week fact-finding tour of Romania, where he says he was shocked to find that girls were being kidnapped by force.

"Many of them were vulnerable girls who were told lies and were told they were going to France or Spain," he said.

"This is a desperate situation.

"You can imagine the future of these kids in months, weeks or even years."

He says that praise is due to the government for its efforts to reform, but he is far from convinced that the new methods of care are working.

"Romania is still in a risk situation because the basic transformations haven’t happened," he said.

Hunger pangs

Back in the tunnel, all but one of the candles have blown out. The heat and stench of the glue used by the children is unbearable.

Toughness is all in this world - a momentary lapse can mean perpetual victimhood

Christian, 16, says the street children use this drug because it suppresses hunger pangs.

He ended up on the street after leaving an orphanage where he was beaten and forced to beg by an older gang.

"I told the directors of the orphanage, but they didn’t help me because the gang gave them money and drink," he said.

Toughness is all in this world. A momentary lapse can mean perpetual victimhood.

Geena, who is 16 and dressed like a boy, lets slip that she used to get beaten up when she was first on the street. She quickly recovers herself.

"I’ve never been harmed. Just one time I fell over in the street, but that’s just because I fainted," she said.

The Romanian government says past action to help street children has been ineffective, but there are now better co-ordinated programmes.

But what worries charities like City of Hope is that of the 36,000 children currently in orphanages, a third are due to be moved out in the next year alone to keep Romania on course in child reform.

If the infrastructure for good foster care and smaller homes is not there - and with international adoption about to be banned - they fear many more Geenas, Christians and Jobys could arrive on the street.

Scholarships for street children

[September 09, 2004 - 11.00 GMT] 

Hundred and sixty-two street children were given Presidential Scholarships yesterday to mark the International Literacy Day.

At the launch of this scheme, ‘Nena Sarana’, for children the President said, “Literacy is not something that exists on its own, but something that is related to education. In today’s fast developing world, literacy is what keeps us on par with the rest.”

The children selected from the plantation sector, coastal areas and Kataragama, Ratnapura and Colombo would go through a rehabilitation programme before they are integrated in schools by January 2005.

Sri Lanka adopted the United Nations convention for compulsory education for children between the ages five to 14 in January 1998, shortly after the Compulsory Education Ordinance was enacted in November 1997.

Sri Lanka is among the countries that boast of having a high literacy rate. 

“With good rates of school completion and the strong government policy of achieving education for all, Sri Lanka is at an advantage when compared to most developing countries,” UNICEF country Representative, Ted Chaiban said at the gathering.

UNICEF chief further said that his organization is proud to be a partner in an initiative, and a support of the functioning of literacy centres for street and non-school-going children. 

President Kumaratunga praised the support of the UNICEF, the Education Ministry and the NGOs in making this scheme a success. "I believe that this scheme would brighten the hopes of these children for a better future,” President said. 

Deputy Ministers of Education, Mangala Samaraweera and Dinesh Gunawardena also attended the event held at the President’s House yesterday.