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Former Congolese Child Fighters Applaud Ntaganda Verdict

Austere Malivika

   GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - The International Criminal Court's
   conviction of Bosco Ntaganda on war crimes charges is drawing applause
   from former child soldiers who say they were forced to commit
   horrendous acts while part of his rebel group.

   This week, The Hague-based ICC found the former Congolese rebel leader
   guilty on 18 counts of murder, rape, sexual slavery and using child
   soldiers, stemming from actions that took place in the eastern
   Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002 and 2003.

   Some of Ntaganda's former child soldiers are now being rehabilitated at
   the Jericho Foundation center in Goma, the capital of Congo's North
   Kivu province. Toussaint Kampara is one of them.

   "The ruling against Ntaganda is good," he told VOA. "The ruling should
   act as a wakeup call for those still involved in armed violence. Rebel
   group commanders should borrow a leaf from what happened to Ntaganda,
   who did so many heinous acts during his time."

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