In class we're researching different topics for our research task. My topic, that i chose is child soldiers in Africa.
At first I had no idea what this was. I thought maybe they were using children as cooks, and giving them other house keeping type jobs, like cleaning or serving food.
But when i finally read up on the topic i was horrified.
It turned out, when they said child soldiers, they truly meant child soldier, that went out in a battle field killing people, with guns. And they not only did that, it actually gets worse. The children are also used as suicide bombers, human shields to distract enemies, and for the females: sex slaves, and wives. Yes, wives, teenage girls are wives to men at least ten years older than them. If they refused to do so, they would be shot and killed. The children are either kidnapped from their home, or forced to enlist in the army. Some of the children's families were threatened and they and they were eventually forced to join. Rebel organizations target poor families to threaten. After a massacre in Algeria, in which many children soldiers took part in, some kids were found playing the game of catch with a decapitated girl's head. All of the abuse the children are facing will definitely affect their minds, and will scar them for life. But thankfully, there are others going out to Africa to help these children, and rescue them, then send them to a rehabilitation center. After that they learn to live a normal live, even as scarred as they are. But Africa is not the only place with child soldiers. I didn't research upon that much, but child soldiers are also used in Afghanistan, and Germany during World War Two. In Afghanistan, they sent young children out to mine fields, in order to clean the field of mines.
I really hope soon, that people become aware of this and attempt to stop child soldiers. It's a serious matter, and it may be worse than we think it is.
~Swimmer/WriterGirl
Picture: http://theamateurartcollector.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/intro_child_soldier.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment