HL Deb 16 October 2003 vol 653 c132WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their policy as regards the disarming of militants and criminals in Liberia; what plans they have for child soldiers to be rehabilitated and reintegrated with their families; and whether the experience of Caritas Makeni in Sierra Leone will be studied and applied. [HL4656]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The UK supported United Nations Security Council Resolution 1509, which gave a robust and comprehensive mandate to the UN force now deploying in Liberia. This mandate includes the creation of a disarmament, demobilisation, reintegration, and repatriation programme for all armed parties with particular attention to the special needs of child combatants and women.

We will draw on experiences learnt from Sierra Leone including the Caritas child combatant disarmament and repatriation programmes undertaken in Makeni, Sierra Leone.