Child Soldiers/ Starting Rough Draft

  Children Not Soldiers 

Main Idea: Child soldiers should still be kept accountable for their actions but  shouldn't be punished in harsh ways.




Introduction:

My name is Melanie a TAISM student from Oman, Located in the Middle East. I write this letter to give an awareness that we need to help more Child Soldiers worldwide after wars and conflicts are over. Child Soldiers are children forced or recruited to join war or to serve as cooks, subsided bombers,messengers and spice. Child Soldiers have been taken away from their childhood, homes, or their families have been killed, so they have nowhere to go but join the military for protection or need of food. After doing some research about this topic, this is something that is very complicated and wrong, especially since child Soldiers are treated in harsh ways. The main question that is what many organization such as UNICEF of the UN have been trying to answer is what do we do with child solider after wars have ended, are they victims or perpetrators.

Idea #1:  

According to the Child Soldiers International Organization. In 14 countries worldwide child Soldiers are used in wars such as in Iraq, Myanmar, Somalia, and Yemen. Child Soldiers most of the time are being forced to join and become a part of these conflict. This is a reality for most children living in poor countries violating their human rights. Hungered and poverty sometimes encourages partner to sell the children to the military. Children are easy to manipulate and are considered the perfect weapon, this is why child soldier are taken advantage of. Children do not have many options in Somalia,  after the government collapsed in 1991, an entire generation was let loose on the streets. Children would seek protection, and hunger drove them to join the military service. Children are forced by commanders to false promises, drugs and things which you can’t imagine, to kill innocent villains, other children and even their own families.

Idea #2

Children should  be taught how to think not what to think (Margaret Mead). This is why in the 14 countries that child Soldiers are used poverty is the majority of the population. And education isn't something that most children get to have. Parent don't have enough money to pay for a proper school for children or they arent educated of how to tell what's right or wrong. Children won't have the same capability to understand complex things like war and conflicts unlike adults.(Child soldiers invisible children the WEBLY). War aren't something that is on a child mind so they won't understand that what they have gotten into is going to become a bigger problem for them when they grow up. When children go to services as Ishmael said a recovered child Soldier, once you join war “ the Commander begin to look like your father figure, the sergeant begin to look like older brother for you” ( Ishmael Beach),all giving you bad examples “because you want to please them because they become like the family you don't have.”

Idea #3

Child soldiers as young as 8 are abused everyday and go through brutal and harsh conditions. They are forced by the commander through false promises. ( Child soldiers invisible children the WEBLY) and are drugged,  into thinking that what they are doing is correct. Giving them drugs and  alcohol makes child soldiers become more cooperative enabling them to commit crimes which they never would have done before.( Child soldiers invisible children the WEBLY) Drugs make you feel numb and make you think that when going to war or what the commander was telling you was to keep you safe. Children won't kill for fun unless they are taught it's correct just like they can be thought is wrong.

What should be done:
After war is over child Soldiers aren't needed anymore. There is no one to take care of them and there really never was when they joined war. These Child Soldiers most of them have been at war for 2-6 years, after being drugged and taught that killing is correct it could be dangerous to let them into society again. They could become corrupt and that generation could make more conflicts. If we don't do anything to helps these kids and give them the education and discipline needed then things would just get worst for them and for others living in those countries. No child likes to live like a child Soldier, helping come to reality could be a hard but it's worth because every child deserves a second chance. UNICEF along with many other organization everyday help rehabilitate and provide medical need for child Soldiers. I suggest that the most important thing to end conflict is education ( Research on UNICEF) ( Education saves lives)


Conclusion: