CHILDREN IN ERITREA

Early day motion 576, tabled 21 April 1999 by John Austin (Labour). Signed by 33 members.

That this House takes note of the African Conference on the Use of Children as Soldiers held in Maputo, Mozambique; is concerned by allegations that children are being forcibly conscripted into the armed forces by the Government of Eritrea; welcomes the adoption and ratification of the Convention of the Rights of the Child by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and its support for the early adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts; and calls on the Government of Eritrea to cease hostilities towards Ethiopia and withdraw its troops from all occupied Ethiopian territory in accordance with the Framework Agreement for peace drawn up by the Organisation of African Unity.

Signatures by party: Labour 26, Liberal Democrat 3, Labour/Co-operative 2, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.