Draft Directive Order on Child Protection and the Release and Reintegration of Children Associated with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA)

This draft directive order—dated November 9, 2012—prohibits the recruitment and use of children (defined as persons below the age of eighteen years old) by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). The draft directive order also prohibits the SPLA from occupying schools or using school property in any way. The draft directive order also establishes that infractions will be investigated and that disciplinary and/or adverse administrative action will be taken for members of the SPLA found to have violated relevant laws, rules, or orders relevant to these issues.

The United Nations Secretary-General, in his 2014 country-specific report on children and armed conflict in South Sudan, stated of the impact of directive orders on these issues: “A number of military command orders and punitive directives were issued by SPLA. In 2013, eight targeted military command orders were issued concerning unimpeded access to barracks for verification purposes, screening and registration of children associated with SPLA, the prohibition of unauthorized redeployment of SPLA child protection officers and the evacuation of all schools used by SPLA. The order regarding the recruitment of children and the use of schools provided punitive disciplinary measures for non-compliance. By December 2013, only seven schools were being used and plans were made to vacate them. Despite those efforts, the recruitment of children by some SPLA commanders and divisions continued. On 10 September 2014, the SPLA Deputy Chief of General Staff reinforced the punitive directive of August 2013 by issuing an order to all SPLA units to ensure compliance. Also, the Legal Adviser to the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs proposed amendments to the SPLA Act (2009) to include punitive measures for perpetrators of grave violations against children.”[1]

[1] “Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in South Sudan,” S/2014/884, December 11, 2014, p. 14, https://www.refworld.org/reference/countryrep/unsc/2014/en/103214.