I Summary: The Government of Burma?s Armed Forces: The Tatmadaw; Government Failure to Address Child Recruitment; Non-state Armed Groups; The Local and International Response... II Recommendations 14 To the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) 14 To All Non-state Armed Groups 17 To the Governments of Thailand, Laos, Bangladesh, India, and China 18 To the Government of Thailand 18 To the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 18 To UNICEF 19 To the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict 20 To Member States of the United Nations 20 To the UN Security Council 21 To the International Labour Organization 21 To the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar 21 III Methodology22 IV Background24 V The Tatmadaw: The State Military 29 The Tatmadaw?s Staffing Crisis29 Recruitment 32 Key Factors in Child Recruitment33 Children as Commodities: The Recruit Market 41 Recruitment of the Very Young 43 The Su Saun Yay Recruit Holding Camps45 Training 50 Deployment and Active Duty 56 Combat 60 Abuses against Civilians62 Desertion, Imprisonment, and Re-recruitment 63 The Future of Tatmadaw Child Recruitment68 The Government of Burma?s Response to the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers 68 The Committee for the Prevention of Military Recruitment of Underage Children 71 Demobilization73 Reintegration76 Measures for Raising Awareness77 Enforcement of Recruitment Laws and Regulations 81 Government Cooperation with International Agencies 84 VI Child Soldiers in Non-State Armed Groups 94 United Wa State Army 97 Karenni Army 98 Karen National Liberation Army 102 Shan State Army ? South 105 Kachin Independence Army 107 Democratic Karen Buddhist Army 109 Kachin Defense Army 111 Mon National Liberation Army 112 Karenni Nationalities People?s Liberation Front 113 Shan Nationalities People?s Liberation Army 115 Rebellion Resistance Force116 KNU-KNLA Peace Council117 VII The International Response120 The United Nations Security Council 120 United Nations Country Team 122 UNICEF 123 ILO 124 Neighboring country and cross-border initiatives 125 VIII Legal Standards 129 Child Recruitment as a War Crime 130 International Standards on Demobilization, Reintegration, and Rehabilitation 131 Acknowledgements 132 Appendices 133 Appendix A: SPDC Plan of Action regarding child soldiers 133 Appendix B: Human Rights Watch letter to the UN Mission of Myanmar, August 22, 2007 137 Appendix C: Reply from the UN Mission of Myanmar, September 12, 2007 139 Appendix D: KNPP Deed of Commitment regarding child soldiers 142 Appendix E: KNLA Deed of Commitment regarding child soldiers 146