Standing before you, you see a child. Like many children, they’re young and small, about ten or younger. But you should mind the ak47 they have propped on their shoulder and their lifeless eyes that have witnessed several deaths of both friend and foe, comrade, and enemy. The only happiness these eyes have seen, is the adrenaline rush from the witnessed crossfire, and the drugs running through their systems, and behind those eyes : a mind of a hardened soldier.
Here in the united states children live a rather blessed life, few of them grow up to know extreme violence. Most kids have the support of family and friends. It is expected that a child will go to school to learn and play, very few children lack a warm bed and a home or at risk of …show more content…
They have been ripped from their families, or orphaned, by the same army that forces them to service. Every single one of these children fight because they don’t have a choice, their only other escape is to risk death while trying to run from something they should never have been a part of. Usually though, these children don’t even want to escape because they have been made dependant on their commanders for drugs, food and emotional support.
In the past fifteen years, the use of child soldiers has spread to every region and armed conflict in the world. And the majority of child soldiers are 10 years old or younger. Girls make up an estimated 40% of child soldiers, and are especially at risk of sexual abuse.
Unfortunately there is a dilemma of what to do with these young mercenaries when their armies are defeated. Do we hold these children, most of whom haven’t even reached puberty yet, responsible for the bloodshed and violence that they have been a part of? Or do we grant them amnesty? There are many arguments for both sides. Some argue that these adolescents are responsible for their actions and deserve the same fate as those who forced them into service. Others argue that it would be unlikely for one so young who has seen such brutality to even be
Here in the united states children live a rather blessed life, few of them grow up to know extreme violence. Most kids have the support of family and friends. It is expected that a child will go to school to learn and play, very few children lack a warm bed and a home or at risk of …show more content…
They have been ripped from their families, or orphaned, by the same army that forces them to service. Every single one of these children fight because they don’t have a choice, their only other escape is to risk death while trying to run from something they should never have been a part of. Usually though, these children don’t even want to escape because they have been made dependant on their commanders for drugs, food and emotional support.
In the past fifteen years, the use of child soldiers has spread to every region and armed conflict in the world. And the majority of child soldiers are 10 years old or younger. Girls make up an estimated 40% of child soldiers, and are especially at risk of sexual abuse.
Unfortunately there is a dilemma of what to do with these young mercenaries when their armies are defeated. Do we hold these children, most of whom haven’t even reached puberty yet, responsible for the bloodshed and violence that they have been a part of? Or do we grant them amnesty? There are many arguments for both sides. Some argue that these adolescents are responsible for their actions and deserve the same fate as those who forced them into service. Others argue that it would be unlikely for one so young who has seen such brutality to even be