Child Soldiers Global Report 2001 - Lithuania
- Document source:
-
Date:
2001
REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
Mainly covers the period June 1998 to April 2001 as well as including some earlier information.
- Population:
– total: 3,682,000
– under-18s: 896,000 - Government armed forces:1146
– active: 8,000 – National Defence Voluntary Force (some reserves): 12,000
– reserves: 355,650
– paramilitary: 3,900 - Compulsory recruitment age: 19
- Voluntary recruitment age: 18
- Voting age (government elections): 18
- Child soldiers: none indicated
- CRC-OP-CAC: not signed
- Other treaties ratified: CRC; GC/API+II; ILO 138
- There are no indications of under-18s in government armed forces. Seventeen-year-olds are able to enrol in military schools in which they would be considered to be part of the armed forces during a state of war or aggression.
GOVERNMENT
National Recruitment Legislation and Practice
Article 48 of the 1992 Constitution states that "[M]ilitary service or alternative service, as well labour which is executed during war, natural calamity, epidemic, or other urgent circumstances, shall not be deemed as forced labour." Article 139 of the Constitution adds that "[T]he defence of the State of Lithuania from foreign armed attack shall be the right and duty of every citizen of the Republic of Lithuania. Citizens of the Republic of Lithuania are obliged to serve in the national defence service or to perform alternative service in the manner established by law."1147
All men between the ages of 19 and 27 are liable for military service which lasts for 12 months and is regulated by the 1996 Law on Military Duty. Full-time university students are exempt during the period of study.1148 Voluntary recruitment is possible from the age of 18.1149 This is enshrined in Article 29 of the Law on the Organisation of the National Defence System and Military Service.1150
It seems that only 10 per cent of those liable for conscription actually perform military service. Four modern Military Enrolment Centres are to be established by 2003 (two are currently functioning) in order to improve the recruitment system.1151
Military Training and Military Schools
There are several military schools in Lithuania, inter alia, the Military Academy, the Non-Commissioned Officers School and the Basic Training Regiment. The Ministry of Education approves conditions for admission to the Military Academy.1152 According to information provided by the government in 2000, candidates must have graduated from 12 years of secondary education and are 17 to 18 years of age.1153 Article 20 of the Law on the Organisation of the National Defence System and Military Service states: "The Academy shall enrol servicemen or draftees with a high school education, who comply with the enrolment requirements. The draftees enrolled to the Academy shall be drafted to mandatory military service simultaneously. The military service shall be done during study periods. In a war time situation, cadets become a constituent part of the armed forces, subordinate to the Commander of the Armed Forces".1154
DEVELOPMENTS
International Standards
The Committee on the Rights of the Child meeting in January 2001 encouraged Lithuania to ratify and implement the CRC-OP-CAC.1155 The Ministry of National Defence has reportedly initiated the process of adopting and ratifying the CRC-OP-CAC.1156
1146 Active and NDVF figures from Letter of the Permanent Mission of Lithuania to the United Nations, Geneva, to CSC, 15/3/01; reserves and paramilitary figures from IISS 2001. IISS cites active forces at 12,700 including 2,000 NDVFs.
1147 Blaustein and Flanz op. cit.
1148 Permanent Mission of Lithuania, op. cit.
1149 Letter of the Permanent Mission of Lithuania to the United Nations, Geneva, to CSC, 30/6/99.
1150 5/5/98, No. VIII-723 and 14/1/99, No. VIII-1027.
1151 Permanent Mission of Lithuania, 15/3/01 op. cit.
1152 Ibid.
1153 Permanent Mission of Lithuania, 30/6/99, op. cit.
1154 Permanent Mission of Lithuania, 15/3/01, op. cit.
1155 Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child: Lithuania. 26/01/2001. CRC/C/15/Add.146.
1156 Permanent Mission of Lithuania, 15/3/01, op. cit.
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