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speeches
Address to the Security Council meeting on Children
in Armed Conflict
by Wilmot from Liberia
New York, 5 May 2002 -
SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON CHILDREN
AND ARMED CONFLICT
Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished
Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen:
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My name is Wilmot, from Liberia. I am 16 years old.
At age five, I fled from Liberia with my mother to Sierra
Leone. I was too young at the time to really understand
what was happening. I heard the sounds of guns. I saw
people running. I saw people shooting. I saw people
being killed. I saw people dying. People as young as
I was were dying. On two occasions, I saw a man being
killed because of his tribe. Another man was slaughtered
right in front of our family. I could not stand the
sight and hid in my mother's arms.
I saw schools and building destroyed. I saw families
like mine, in the thousands, leave everything behind
and run. I was lateR told that a war was going on. That
was eleven years ago when the war had just began.
Today as I speak, the children of Liberia are suffering
again from war. We don't have good education because
of war. We are malnourished because of war. There are
many reports that children are being recruited. We are
dying because of war.
Our hopes and dreams for the future are bleak. The
cry of the children of Liberia is for peace. We, as
children ourselves, are involved in trying to put an
end to the war. I am working with an all-children television
programme, Kiddies Corner, that discusses the plight
of children along with issues affecting our well-being
and development of our fullest potential. Another all
children radio programme, C'Est la Vie, run by children
themselves has been effective in sending out the message
of peace across the country. These are things that children
in Liberia have been doing to find a way for peace.
Other organisations like the children's assistance
programme, CAP provides support for war affected children.
Don Bosco provides homes for street children. Children
against Violence has provided shelter and education
for these kids. The YMCA provides recreational activities.
Bot none of this will mean anything if the war does
not stop.
Mr, President, the children of Liberia appeal to this
honourable Council of the United Nations to do everything
possible to stop the fighting in Liberia. We are experiencing
war again in Liberia and want it to end now. We are
dying every day. Our human rights are being abused daily.
These human rights abuses, including the recruitment
of children, will continue unless the war is brought
to an end. Please help stop the war for the sake of
children. We know that it is your responsibility to
promote world peace. Please don't forget Liberia now.
Help save the lives of the children of Liberia.
I thank you for this opportunity to speak to you today.
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