The impact of disarmament and demobilization of child soldiers on peace agreement: a case study of Mozambique

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effect of the disarmament and demobilization(OO) process of child soldiers on the Rome Peace Agreement of 1992 of Mozambique. This was through conducting informal interviews and book research. The study revealed that Mozambique peace is one that has been described as a success after the signing of the Rome Peace Agreement of 1992. The analysis of the Process in disarmament and demobilization was a requirement in the Rome Peace Agreement of 1992 in preparation for the elections ending the 17 year war. This process was part of an initiative towards sustainable peace. The Peace Agreement left scholars and skeptics anticipating failure like in the case of Angola, Liberia and other African countries that have gone back to war as quickly as they have signed the peace agreements. The sustainable peace was a result of other factors such as fatigue due to long term fighting, natural disasters such as floods and droughts that threatened starvation and the possible withdrawal of the external actors who funded both RENAMO and FRELIMO.The study revealed that Child soldiers went home and were naturally reintegrated into the society through traditional healing while others were sponsored for studies in Russian and Cuba. The children still suffered the effects of the war physically, psychologically, socially but they did not cause a war in Mozambique. The disarmament and demobilization process of child soldiers did not feature in the peace process where RENAMO fought for power sharing with FRELIMO. Follow-up was lacking to reveal the actual whereabouts of these children.It is therefore necessary to follow-up the ex- child soldiers in order to know their current status in Mozambique and the effectiveness of the traditional healing they went through. This is possible through more field study as the ex-child soldiers are now grown up as revealed in the study.