Back Child-Soldier Ban, Clinton Urged

Forty leaders of religious, humanitarian and child-welfare groups have written to President Clinton urging his support of an international ban on the use of children as soldiers.

“Robbed of their childhood, child combatants are subjected to a cycle of violence that they are often too young to understand, or resist,” the leaders wrote.

“Some are used for particularly hazardous duty, such as entering minefields ahead of older troops, or undertaking suicide missions.”

The group estimated that more than 300,000 youths under 18 participate in armed conflicts across the globe and hundreds of thousands more are members of armed forces that could be sent into combat.

“Mr. President, the United States is in a unique position to exert strong leadership towards ending the reprehensible use of child soldiers,” the leaders wrote.