The terrifying technology of warfare escalated in the early 1980s that swept across Africa, and soon after the rest of the world: child soldiers.
Although it is impossible to quantify, human rights groups state there are an estimated:
300,000 child soldiers worldwide, of which 40% are in armed forces including national armies, gangs, terrorist organizations and resistance forces
30% of armed organizations are made of young girls who were raped or sold as slaves. When women and children are trafficked, it is nearly impossible for their family members to relocate them.
Over the last 10 years, an estimate of over 2 million children have been killed in conflict
Lethal, blood thirsty behavior
Children who are poor, displaced or live in a combat zone are most vulnerable to be forcibly recruited by rebel commanders to serve as fighters, messengers or spies, suicide bombers or human shields. If children were born or raised in a conflict zone, they are also more likely desensitized to violence, and are least likely to have access to opportunities related to jobs and education. Children are the perfect weapon as they are easily manipulated, incredibly loyal, fearless and endless in supply and therefore, abducting them became the best way to sustain the organized banditry.
- In Uganda, boys were brainwashed to burn down huts and pound newborn babies to death in wooden mortars as if they were grinding grain. The LRA often forced recruits to murder their parents so they would not have family to escape to. (Story of a former LRA child solider, Norman Okello)
In Liberia, children as young as 7 were convinced that those with guns could survive, according to the Director of the Liberian Red Cross.
In Myanmar, parents volunteer their children for the Karen rebel in exchange for two meals per day
In Ethiopia, children are kidnapped from the poorest cities and schools
- Some of the approached were promised education and jobs.
Greed, power, brutality
Rebels movements are motivated and financed by crime and see local communities as prey, so they trained children to be killing machines, cutting their way from village to village and nearly overrunning the government. There is a common misconception that Africa invented the modern underage solider.
In fact, think of drummer boys centuries ago. The Nazis drafted children under desperation, as did Iran who gave 12-16 year old boys plastic keys to heaven to wear around their necks, as they cleared minefields during the Iran-Iraq War. We've seen them in religion driven fights in Kosovo, Palestinian territories and Afghanistan.
Taliban recruitment continues to surge in 2015, violating the international prohibition of use of child soldiers. Boys begin as early as 6 years old to study religious subjects by Taliban teachers for 7 years, armed with military knowledge and skills, including use of firearms, the production and deployment of explosive devices. Teachers then introduce trained children to Taliban groups to carry out dangerous missions.
Reported use of child soldiers in 2011:
Afghanistan
Colombia
India
Iraq
Libya
Mali
Pakistan
Philippines
Thailand
Sudan
Syria
Yemen
The list continues
Despite a series of peace talks, historically we have not found success in the following:
Somalia: +1,000 people within a month in the capital of Somalia (Mogadishu) in 2007 were armies of teenagers
Congo: Rebel fights for their share of timber, copper, gold, diamonds and other high profitable resources rely on child soldiers for work and protection
Uganda: Terror in rural areas led by a group called Lord's Resistance Army (developed in 1990 by the oppressed Acholi minority), degenerated into a street gang living in the jungle possessing military grade weapons and young 13-year-old brides
The fight does not stop here
Fact is, we don't need to wait for conflicts to end for children to be removed from armed organizations. Children introduced to violent conflicts can be rescued and reintegrated into society such as efforts made in South Sudan and Liberia, with the help of organizations such UNICEF, World Food Program, World Health Organization, Action Aide, United Nations Development Program and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programs.
These children are fragile, as they have only ever known violent life and struggle through the high risk of repeating the cycle of conflict they are grew up in, but they can be trained to participate in educational skills and economic activities through NGOs support and health services.
Most deserving of the greatest protection
The US developed the Child Solider Prevention Act that prevent military aid to countries and groups that employ child soldiers. We can adopt a more active role in saving their lives and ultimately protect our futures. Get involved with Invisible Children. Activists were key to:
LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act signed into law
$30M+ US foreign assistance for life saving programs in neglected Central Africa
3.7 million people signed pledge cards, met in Capitol Hill, marched, convincing government leaders to use power to support peace
What you can do:
Join Citizen to receive updates on taking political action to end violence in the most vulnerable communities
Invest. Donations make the work at Invisible Children possible
2015 Sebastian Rich
A Ugandan child soldier in Kampala in 1985 by Dominique Aubert)
