White House Press Release - Statement by National Security Council Spokesman Tommy Vietor on the International Criminal Court Conviction of Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga Dyilo in Child Soldiers Case

The United States welcomes the conviction by the International Criminal Court of Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga Dyilo for war crimes relating to enlisting and conscripting children under the age of 15 and causing them to participate actively in hostilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). As this decision illustrates, the international community is united in its determination to end the repugnant practice of using child soldiers. Today's decision is a reminder that those who prey upon children, forcing them to become soldiers and sex slaves, are committing a despicable crime for which they will be held accountable.