The Elizka Relief Foundation has sounded the alarm before the UN Human Rights Council over what it described as grave violations committed against children in the Tindouf camps, located in southwestern Algeria.
Speaking on behalf of the NGO, Ms. Charlotte Bama denounced reports of children being subjected to “the worst forms of child labor” at the Gara Djiblet mine, where minors are allegedly forced to perform hazardous tasks under the joint responsibility of the Algerian authorities and the Polisario Front.
The Foundation also accused the Polisario of systematically recruiting children from the camps, some as young as 12, who are separated from their families, put through military training, and compelled to bear arms or participate in military parades. According to Elizka Relief, those who resist recruitment are subjected to “severe punishments.”
Citing its data, the NGO estimates that over 8,000 children have already been recruited in the Tindouf camps, with the direct involvement of Algerian authorities. It described these practices as “crimes against humanity.”
In light of these allegations, Elizka Relief urged the Algerian authorities to press the Polisario Front to cooperate with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, to enable an independent investigation. The organization further called on the international community to take immediate steps to end child exploitation and other abuses in the camps.
