The Problem of Child Soldiers: The Case of CAR
After the Second World War, the nature wars have changed. They are no longer between states or alliances. They are within states. Usually as a result of parties within states rising up against unfair treatment, inequitable distribution of wealth that have led to economic disparities, control of resources, corruption or disdain for other ethnic groups within the same country. Reasons for the new phenomenon surrounding conflicts have not changed the fact that more turmoil and destruction has been seen as a result of this change. The high incidence of these wars in the Global South is troubling as it sets the development process back.
It has been asserted that intra-state conflicts are by nature …show more content…
Singer (2006) agrees that during civil wars children are recruited because they are an easy and cost effective source of combatants to fill the ranks of forces involved. Achvarina and Reich note that the easy access to children is usually because of displacements that the children experience due to various reasons makes children easy targets for recruitment (2006). Blattman (2007) agrees with Singer (2006) on child soldiers being a cost effective source because they are easily coerced and controlled. Singer (2006) adds that the use of children is a very calculated measure used by leaders of armed groups because of their vulnerability; children are also used as psychological weapons during civil wars as their use undermines the power of the government and also disrupts the family unit which societies and communities are built on. Children who are meant to be protected by parents become the ones who are actually inflicting discord and the ones the adults need protection from. Early and Tynes (2011) explain that children are used in wars as a matter of tactical advantage driven by the armed groups “interactions and competition with” opposing groups. Early and Tynes conclude that rebels are more likely to use children than governments, governments are more likely to use children after rebels …show more content…
With the introduction of lightweight weaponry like the AK-47 and M-16, child soldiers have begun to play a more critical role in active role in wars (Bellamy, 1996). Child soldiers may be forced or voluntarily participators in a conflict; whoever they may not understand what it is exactly they are fighting for (Miller, 2002). Many of these willing child soldiers join because of poverty, hunger, custom, insecurity and even passion (Miller 2002).
Vindevogel et al took an in depth look at the scope and nature of abuse of former child soldiers and found that a majority of them witnessed and forcibly participated in committing crimes against humanity (2011). It is important to note that not all child soldiers are mistreated, “some are protected and cared for” (Miller, 2002). Despite the care a child may be given a child is still a child and has no business in actively participating in a war.
“According to the U.S. Campaign to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, the number of children under the age of eighteen who are at this time involved in armed conflicts throughout the world is over 300,000, and hundreds of thousands more could be sent to fight at any moment. An estimated two million youths have been killed in combat in the past decade alone, and three times as many have been seriously wounded or disfigured” (Miler
After the Second World War, the nature wars have changed. They are no longer between states or alliances. They are within states. Usually as a result of parties within states rising up against unfair treatment, inequitable distribution of wealth that have led to economic disparities, control of resources, corruption or disdain for other ethnic groups within the same country. Reasons for the new phenomenon surrounding conflicts have not changed the fact that more turmoil and destruction has been seen as a result of this change. The high incidence of these wars in the Global South is troubling as it sets the development process back.
It has been asserted that intra-state conflicts are by nature …show more content…
Singer (2006) agrees that during civil wars children are recruited because they are an easy and cost effective source of combatants to fill the ranks of forces involved. Achvarina and Reich note that the easy access to children is usually because of displacements that the children experience due to various reasons makes children easy targets for recruitment (2006). Blattman (2007) agrees with Singer (2006) on child soldiers being a cost effective source because they are easily coerced and controlled. Singer (2006) adds that the use of children is a very calculated measure used by leaders of armed groups because of their vulnerability; children are also used as psychological weapons during civil wars as their use undermines the power of the government and also disrupts the family unit which societies and communities are built on. Children who are meant to be protected by parents become the ones who are actually inflicting discord and the ones the adults need protection from. Early and Tynes (2011) explain that children are used in wars as a matter of tactical advantage driven by the armed groups “interactions and competition with” opposing groups. Early and Tynes conclude that rebels are more likely to use children than governments, governments are more likely to use children after rebels …show more content…
With the introduction of lightweight weaponry like the AK-47 and M-16, child soldiers have begun to play a more critical role in active role in wars (Bellamy, 1996). Child soldiers may be forced or voluntarily participators in a conflict; whoever they may not understand what it is exactly they are fighting for (Miller, 2002). Many of these willing child soldiers join because of poverty, hunger, custom, insecurity and even passion (Miller 2002).
Vindevogel et al took an in depth look at the scope and nature of abuse of former child soldiers and found that a majority of them witnessed and forcibly participated in committing crimes against humanity (2011). It is important to note that not all child soldiers are mistreated, “some are protected and cared for” (Miller, 2002). Despite the care a child may be given a child is still a child and has no business in actively participating in a war.
“According to the U.S. Campaign to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, the number of children under the age of eighteen who are at this time involved in armed conflicts throughout the world is over 300,000, and hundreds of thousands more could be sent to fight at any moment. An estimated two million youths have been killed in combat in the past decade alone, and three times as many have been seriously wounded or disfigured” (Miler