Some 39 child soldiers were demobilized from the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) at a ceremony in Mapel, Western Bahr El Ghazal, on 11 March.

Addressing the gathering, SPLA Chief of Administration for the Third Division Brigadier General Ajak Yen said the children had joined the army of their own accord.

"They came voluntarily on their own and joined the barracks, and were getting their salaries … this was a mistake and we will not repeat it," said Brigadier General Ajak. He added that about 130 more children had been verified and would soon be demobilized from the division.

Acting State Coordinator for Southern Sudan Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Commission in Western Bahr El Ghazal Romano Opio Kuot said the commission had traced the families of only 19 of the 39 demobilized children.

Some children were reluctant to leave the army as they had no parents to return to. Others were concerned about losing money they earned in the army to support poor parents.

“No food, no parents, no school, and back at home, how do you expect to live,” 15-year-old Abraham Chol asked during the ceremony, which was attended by representatives of the Southern Sudan Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Commission, UNICEF, and UNMIS DDR.

“Some of us have no families to go to … we request that we remain here and that school be provided for us here in the barracks,” said Peter Mabor Akot, who declined to give his age. Adding that some of the children had shopped on credit at the local Mapel shop, he asked that the accounts be paid. If the children were then given their pensions, they would go home.