Document #1310301
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
According to a Radio Renascence report of
11 October 1995, the FLEC-FAC was trying to intensify armed
struggle in the Cabinda region and was compulsory recruiting youths
from northern Angola. A Human Rights Watch report states that "the
general service requirement for all Angolan males is that they
should be over twenty years of age. But many recruits are under
this age and forced recruitment of teenagers occurred throughout
1995 in Northern region." However, the report does not specify
whether the recruitment was done by FLEC-FAC (Feb. 1996, 30).
A 14 July 1996 AP report states that rebel
soldiers admitted giving military training to young people but
"they will not confirm they send children into battle."
No reports of 18 year olds being promoted
to the rank of lieutenant could be found among the sources
consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is
not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any
particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see the list
of additional sources consulted in researching this Information
Request.
References
Associated Press (AP). 14 July 1996.
Louis Okamba. "Cuito, Angola." (NEXIS)
Human Rights Watch. February 1996. Vol.
8. No. 1 (A). Angola: Between War and Peace: Arms Trade and
Human Rights Abuses Since the Lusaka Protocol. New York: Human
Rights Watch.
Radio Renascence [Lisbon, in
Portuguese]. 11 October 1995. "Cabinda Separatists said to
be Forcibly Recruiting Youth in Northern
Angola." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential [London].
January 1991 - December 1995. Weekly Nos. 1-25.
Africa Research Bulletin: Political,
Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. 1997-1998. Vols. 34-35.
Nos. 1-12.
Amnesty International.
1992-1996. Amnesty International Report 1991-1995. New
York: Amnesty International USA.
Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices for 1992-1995. 1993-1998. United States Department
of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing
Press.
Keesing's Record of World
Events [Cambridge]. January 1998-January 1999. Monthly. Vols.
44-45.
Political Handbook of the World
1992-1998. 1992-1998. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton,
NY: CSA Publications.
Electronic sources: IRB databases,
Internet, LEXIS/NEXIS, World Network Connection (WNC)