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Lauren
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On the Use of Child Soldiers...
January 26, 2003 - 09:04 AM
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The world disgusts me. I can't believe the things that people do sometimes. Today, I was researching the use of child soldiers in countries around the world.
The prospect of children as soldiers has always offended me. I've always been against it. But the things that I learn every day compel even more emotion inside of me. An incredible number of children are forced to fight and kill every day.
While we sit in our homes, comfortably sipping our morning coffee.
These children are subjugated to horrible conditions -- inhumane treatment by their governments, kidnapping, loss of free will, seperation from their homes being exposed to the pain of war.
Being the war.
What can we do to stop this? This is clearly a problem, but I just don't see an answer. What can we do to protect these innocent, victimized children? It doesn't seem right that they are forced to live with blood on their hands.
Their small, young hands, their fragile bodies, caught in the crossfire...
Terror.
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Jennifer H.
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What can we do?
January 26, 2003 - 10:52 AM
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You asked, "What can we do to stop this?" I would suggest writing to the governments of the guilty countries. I don't know how well that would work, but it's what I would do. It is horrible how they are forced into fighting; some of these kids are taught right from birth that certain people are evil because of their religion or where they are from. What kind of twisted people would do that to sweet, innocent little children??
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Lauren
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Re: On the Use of Child Soldiers...
January 26, 2003 - 11:01 AM
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Humans.
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Mike
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Re: On the Use of Child Soldiers...
January 27, 2003 - 04:30 AM
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Changing the world is about taking one step forward. Not one giant leap back. The last thing one wants to do when trying to make a positive difference is to realise that exploring and exposing the injustices of the past only leads to anger, hatred, and a really bad headache.
Howeever, that's not to say that we forget the lessons of history.
- - -
Pred.
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Lauren
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Re: On the Use of Child Soldiers...
January 27, 2003 - 07:20 AM
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True, Mike, but this isn't history yet. Unfortunately, this injustice is still happening, and it's only getting worse. It may give me a headache thinking about it, but I know I'll get a headache just by knowing I've ignored it.
But this is still happening worldwide. In many, many counrties. I don't know the exact number, about 20 nations or so.
Or maybe that's only the number of nations in the UN that are doing this.
After signing the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
It doesn't even matter whether they are in the UN or not though, every person everywhere has rights to liberty.
Or should have the rights.
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Mike
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Re: On the Use of Child Soldiers...
January 27, 2003 - 07:36 AM
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Injustices will always happen. But I do not believe that injustices will always continue to be tolerated.
Remember, you have to know such things exist to be able to turn a blind eye.
Let me ask you something, what is the one constant amongst all those countries who have child soldiers?
- - -
Pred.
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Gerald Derome
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I can answer that one Pred.
January 27, 2003 - 09:29 AM
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Let me, let me, please i have my hand up, look, look this way. I'll answer that one.
Prd: well. yer...er yes go ahead tell me, tell us all. Tell all the children.
i/not_neo; Old and new, Leaders and Pseudo Leaders.
Pred! Why does much of the worlds peoples, the combined (intentional and unintentional) legal, grey and black markets (counscious, unconscious and subconscious) keep ensuring that those vices that exist are kept fed with a constant supply of children?
Yes, i know that is the way it is, but, just because we have potholes of goodwill all over our pathed walk and run ways does not mean that we can save all the children from so called perceived different evils and vices. Unless of course we make one giant vacuum and teach and show all the children the real options we have. One of the six of us inside that we can nurture and grow. The animal; mind, heart and body, and the, humane; heart mind and body.
We are still much animal no matter how big our detatched un co-ordinated world humane desires efforts are.
We feed the child to kill it becomes normal to them right from the start. We feed the chidren an too easy life away from any responsibilities and duties that may insult their clean hands or partents finickyness, they would expect to live like royalty the rest of their lives. If medicine is always used instead of letting the bodies natural immune system develop and strengthen then those children as adult doctors will find all the cures in pill form, not the or a natural way.
All the children are bred to their individual countries specks or requiremens or even needs of the adults spoiled, righteous or murderous perceived ways.
IT does not matter what happens between Bush and Saddam, it is the youths and children of Iraq one must worry about. They comprise 43% of the population. where will their loyalty go, lie or be directed to in 10, 15 or 20 years from now? I admire Saddam for rejecting the "American way of freedom life" and what it can offer the people. Just as strongly, the power base and the sheer magnitude of its pottential for future infidatas from Saddmamm or other (China Brazil Fiji...) is scarry.
I do not like either. the onsides and offsides of the worlds power bases have never been kept in check by one world organisation except for the accounting firm, of member countries, called the U.N. It has no clout, it is just a watchdog opperating on the same old 24 hour systems, links and bases (economic and power supplies). Where do we want the childrens of the worlds hearts, minds and bodies, to go?
oops sorry got caried away, have a good day everyone.
One for all and all for the children.
i/not_neo
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Mike
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Re: On the Use of Child Soldiers...
January 27, 2003 - 12:28 PM
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Dont forget. Human's are the only means for which such things can come to an end.
- - -
Pred.
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Lauren
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Re: On the Use of Child Soldiers...
January 27, 2003 - 12:41 PM
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Yes it is true but we also started the problem too. I guess the actions we need to take lie not in blame but in where we can begin to make conscious efforts to help others.
However I'm going to try not to become jaded. It would be a waste of good optimism.
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Udara
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Re: On the Use of Child Soldiers...
April 12, 2004 - 06:29 AM
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Lauren, Have a look at :-
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sinhala/child.htm
Udara
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Emily Payne
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Re: On the Use of Child Soldiers...
April 18, 2004 - 08:22 AM
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It's my essay on child soldiers I wrote for socials class.
Emily Payne
March 10, 2004
Child Soldiers
“Children’s clothes printed in battlefield camouflage patterns, and toy automatic weapons all help young children in the U.S to play at being soldiers. But for many children around the globe, being a soldier is not a game which they enter and leave at will, but an all-encompassing part of their daily existence”. Children all over the world wake up every morning, to a horrible nightmare filled with hatred, unkindness and killing. Children as young as eight are used to fight in conflicts and wars with devastating effects. With effort, perhaps organizations raising awareness of global education could help to eliminate this horrific situation.
There are over 300,000 children currently being used as soldiers to battle conflicts. There are considerable number contributing factors as to why this injustice occurs. Many of the children in countries such as Sierra Leone, Columbia, and Sri Lanka already suffer from extreme poverty. Countless amounts of children and families may have lost their homes, schools or towns. So, when an opportunity to make money for their family and themselves comes along, they will take it, even if it involves brutality and killing in their own community. More often, the child is taken away from their home and forced to kill. Families become torn apart and are often victims of violent conflicts, such as displacement or even death.
Joe Opatowski from “Free the Children” shared a story that was a shock. There was a group of children, all around eleven or twelve, all standing around in a circle. The military recruiter holding a very large gun had just told these children that they were going to be a part of the army. They were going to be taken away from their families and they were going to be taught how to use a gun. One little boy who couldn’t have been more than eight cried out “I want my mommy!” The officer grabbed the boy by his shirt and threw him into the middle of the circle and shouted “You’re never going to see you’re mother again”. The boy started sobbing as the officer turned around and handed an axe to a nine-year old boy. “Kill him!” The officer shouted. He walked into the middle of the circle, with tears streaming down his face and just stared at this screaming boy. “I can’t do it” he replied. The officer proceeded to point his gun directly at his head. “Are you sure?” he questioned. Being held at gunpoint, he raised the axe above the little boy’s head, closed his eyes and brought down the axe as fast as he could. The only reason that boy is alive today is because he is a murderer.
There are many reasons why children are chosen over adults to fight. Children are much more easily intimidated than adults and follow orders better. They are more trusting towards others and can be easily manipulated. Military groups also choose children over adults as children can be more easily brainwashed. They are demoralized and made to believe that what they are doing is exciting and something to be proud of.
While serving their time, commanding officers have absolute power over the children. If a child has done something wrong, he or she is punished. Common forms of punishment include sexual abuse and deprivation of food or malnutrition. Sexual abuse also plays a large role in military conflict and is especially harmful to children at their young age. At the age of only twelve, a female child soldier in Cambodia was recruited into the armed forces to have sexual relations with older male soldiers or else there would be severe consequences.
“Rape is a common method of terrorizing opposition communities. Child soldiers routinely witness rape and are often ordered to commit rape themselves. Commanders teach children that their victims are not actually humans and deserve violent treatment.”
The deprivation of food or nutrition is also used to punish children. Lack of nutrition or basic food leads to serious consequences as many children collapse and die from starvation after being forced to fight endlessly on an empty stomach.
In 1994, in Rwanda, the world suffered from the first genocide since the end of World War II. A few hours after the death of President Habyarimana, the Hutu militia took over the streets and genocide spread. As the war continued on through the spring, families were ripped apart and killed. Many children saw their parents being killed, they had nowhere to go, and they were caught in a combat zone. They had no choice. The army took the children, took care of them, fed them, and showed them how to kill. This is a quote from an interview with Jean-Bosco, a child soldier during the war in Rwanda.
Interviewer: What do you think of children fighting alongside adult soldiers?
Jean-Bosco: These children joined the military after their parents were killed. Having nowhere else to go because their neighbors would kill them too, they had no choice but to be soldiers.
According to UNICEF, two million children are estimated to have died as a result of armed conflict and an estimated six million children were seriously injured or permanently disabled in conflicts in the last decade. The effects on children are undeniable. Some of the injuries or disabilities these children experience are the loss or amputation of limbs, blindness, deafness, burns and even brain damage caused by the inhalation of toxic substances. Children are permanently changed forever and are restricted in their lives.
There are more than just physical effects on child soldiers. These children are traumatized forever after having been through this horrific experience. Killing becomes routine for them and they consider it to be normal.
"One of the most difficult things to change in our country is the younger generation's mind-set," says Abdullah Farazi, who helps feed orphans living in a refugee camp near the frontline town of Dast-e-Qale. "How can we convince them that this thing called peace is better than the guns they carry everywhere?"
With images of killing, gunshots, and blood engrained in their childhood every day, it is almost impossible to put it all behind them and start a new life after it is all over. This is how a boy soldier in Sierra Leone put it:
"I saw my older brother go mad…He would be given food and would throw it on the ground, and mix it with dirt and eat it. I was allowed to talk with him, and he would tell me about how our mother was here and our sister. He thought that we were home. I don't know what happened to him. We saw so many people killed, bodies sticking out of trenches, and gunshots all around. It was so frightening. Maybe that made him mad."
- Philip, 14
After returning from combat, it is near impossible for the soldier to go back to their same community and lifestyle. Many of the people that the child could have been fighting against could have been members of the community. The returning soldier is often seen as an enemy and is not accepted back by the people. Sometimes, when a soldier returns home all their family is dead or gone. In some cases, the family and community hide to prevent a reunion with the child because they are so petrified of the armed forces following the child back.
Some children grow up learning how to kill people and spend their childhood on the battlefield instead of in a classroom. These leaders of tomorrow have a corrupted, sad view of the world. It is no wonder there are over thirty ongoing wars right now in the world today. More attention needs to be focused on children and youth around the world. Funding for schools and education systems in underdeveloped countries should be increased, as it is crucial to improve the lives of children around the world. Strict regulations to eliminate child soldiers needs to be put forth and enforced very strongly.
Some organizations such as Amnesty International and Free the Children are working to help improve the conditions of children worldwide. In 1993, the Convention on the Rights of the Child was put forth. The United Nations wanted all countries to make a positive step towards helping children in conflicts of war. This was a very positive movement towards helping troubled youth. It required countries to treat everyone equally, and also put an age restriction on recruiting soldiers. In Article 38, paragraph 3, it states that it is permissible to recruit people as young as fifteen.
“States Parties shall refrain from recruiting any person who has not attained the age of fifteen years into their armed forces. In recruiting among those persons who have attained the age of fifteen years but who have not attained the age of eighteen years, States Parties shall endeavor to give priority to those who are oldest.”
This rule was highly criticized by many, as fifteen is still a child. One child soldier named Alhaji took it upon himself to write a letter to the UN.
"I ask this body on behalf of all the children of Sierra Leone to do all they can to bring our sad story to an end. We want to be able to move about freely in all parts of the country. We want to be able to visit our friends and families without fear of abduction, recruitment and other dangers."
On February 12, 2002, the UN created the Optional Protocol to Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. The OP protected the rights of children by saying that no person under the age of eighteen could be recruited non-voluntarily. It also reaffirmed the importance of children’s rights and how all nations should be moving towards a better world for all children. This kind of work helps immensely in raising awareness. Does it actually help the children who are still being recruited, killing others and watching their families die?
Children in these war-torn countries want a better future and a brighter tomorrow. Many child soldiers are traumatized by their experiences fighting in wars, being abused and mistreated. They become immune to killing and it becomes daily routine. They need and deserve basic human rights and an education. The hope is that in our lifetime, we can continue the work together and find a way to eliminate first child soldiers and eventually war.
-Emily-
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Carl Ren
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MMM...
May 21, 2004 - 02:42 AM
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My way is to change the third world government.The way to do that is to let the first world leader to the third world country, and creat a govenment there.
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