Child soldiers have and still are a big problem in our world. These children suffer everyday from the pain and torture they experienced at war. Most child soldiers are drugged and are not aware of what they are doing. They were involuntarily chosen to commit terrible crimes and were threatened if they did not do otherwise. Many are terrified of these threats. Although many say that child soldiers will never change, they will never change if we never help them. These child soldiers should not be prosecuted or punished and instead be helped for all the trauma they have experienced.They should have the opportunity to be helped after being drugged and scarred, after being raped, and being forced to do things they did not want to do. Should these children be prosecuted for something they did not have a say in? …show more content…
Some say that these children will never change and will always want war and therefore they should be prosecuted. But these children had no idea what they were doing, they were drugged, threatened and afraid. Some child soldiers are tortured and raped(Leaphy 1). Also “if a child under 15 is considered too young to fight, then he or she must also be considered too young to be held criminally responsible for serious violations of IHL while associated with armed forces or armed groups”(Should Child
Soldiers Be Prosecuted for Their Crimes? 1).In most countries, the age of criminal responsibility ranges from 7-16 but most commonly is 14(Should Child Soldiers Be Prosecuted for Their Crimes? 1). Child soldiers are too young to know what they are doing. Should their lives be ruined by something they are forced to
Child soldiers are victims because they were drugged with cocaine and marijuana so then the kids will do what they were told, but i think child soldiers should get amnesty because they had no control of going into war or staying out of war. These kids were drugged and threatened to do all of these things and if the kids didn't do it then they would be shot or most likely killed.
A lot of people disagree that children should not be prosecutions because they are not responsible for their actions and the only reason they are including young people is because they know that they would not be blamed but the kids are. Prosecution only happen after the war has ended so those who recruit child soldiers will not take this into consideration. Basically it’s saying prosecution only happens when a war it’s finish or about to start. So there’s no reason why the children should be blamed for their actions. Child soldiers often victims of the war
One topic that has been debated recently is whether child soldiers from other countries are victims or perpetrators, and whether they should be given amnesty or not. Many believe that child soldiers are the victims, since they have no choice but to join or else they would be killed, and should also be given amnesty since they don’t know what they are doing because they are filled up with drugs. However, those child soldiers should be mentally sane to be given amnesty and earn their citizenship the way immigrants earn their citizenship.
The use of child soldiers have become a normal contribution to armies, especially in countries such as Africa. Although, countries such as Afghanistan, India, and Libya have been using child soldiers since 2011. According to “Children in Conflict: Child Soldiers,” there has been 36 countries involved since 1998. Something needs to be done about this issue due to the fact that thousands of
Are you aware that right now, at this very moment, there is a group of young boys ages 8-13 who are clenching a gun being ordered to kill against their will? It’s understood that others opinions about the dangers of child soldiers being free are only because they don’t want to risk anything but, isn’t life all about taking risks? You risk your life leaving the house, and breathing. Also, countries should not prosecute child soldiers for the crimes they committed during wartime. There also should not be an international minimum age of criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Here are three reasons why they should not be prosecuted or held responsible. Also that there should not be an age limit. One. Children are afraid, young, and clueless. Two. Children are 99.99% of the time drugged, forced, and brainwashed. “Children are often brainwashed and drugged before they are forced to fight. Their vulnerability can allow warlords to make them into cold-blooded killers” (O'Neill 1 ). Three. Children are independent, lonesome, and they want/need a family. One that gives them love.
Among those many child soldiers, there are a handful of them who have committed acts of murder. But should they be forgiven of their crimes, bad deeds or actions? Child soldiers should be given amnesty because they have very little say in their decisions, they are drugged with many drugs and are
The children in the war were in a kill or be killed situation. The children didn’t have a choice except to follow orders from their commanders or they would get killed. They had to fight and kill others to stay alive. A quote from the article “Child Soldiers” (To what extent should child soldiers be held accountable for their crimes?) states, “Furthermore, many children join without carefully thinking through their decision. At the time they might believe that recruiting would lead to a safer life as necessities such as food, water and shelter would be available; actually fighting in war would not cross their mind.” This quote proves that child soldiers are victims because the only reason that some joined was because they had to or else they would die. Also because when they joined they didn’t really know what was going to happen and they didn’t know about the all of the mass killings that would occur. They were just focused on staying alive and getting the basic necessities that they needed like food, water, and shelter. If they wouldn’t have joined then they could have died from hunger or the harsh weather. They chose to defend themselves by joining the
A lot of the children interviewed within the first chapter of Peter W. Singer’s book Children at War are under the age of 12. They speak of torturing people in the most horrific of ways. Such as when joining the paramilitaries, A., age twelve, states that the first thing they make you do is kill someone. A random person is picked for the recruits to chop off his hands and arms. It is important to realize however, that not all of these child soldiers are as young as 7. Singer explains that a “A ‘child soldier’ is generally defined (under both international law and common practice) as any person under eighteen years of age who is engaged in deadly combat or combat support as part of an armed force or group.” What is most horrendous is
Although Children should be rehabilitate, Some people disagrees. According to “ gov.uk” says that Punishment is very important to the justice system. What they only believe is what the law thinks and not what works. “gov.uk” said, “ Punishment is an essential part of the justice system”,What their motto is law is more important then what works. What do I think?, I still think that child soldiers should be rehabilitated and they need to understand that it is not about the law, it is about how the child soldier is gonna turn out. Children are too young to go to a prison. When children goes to prison they may not understand what is going on; and they need to go to rehab to let them know that this is bad and they should not be killing and taking
Many children in America do not consider the problem of child soldiers happening around the world today as an issue, and many do not even think about it. Child Soldiers are a continuous problem that should be stopped instantly. Child Soldiers are innocent children who are forced into armed forces and non- state armed groups. Today, there are approximately 300,000 child soldiers in war, and 40% of armed forces are using these children as soldiers. These children are helpless and have little to no choice to go into war and leave their family behind.
Child Soldiers is a major global issue which is affecting todays 21st century. Many Countries around the world are illegally operating child soldiers such as Burma and Sierra Leone currently there is a crisis as many more children are being subject to this cruel act. Many world media and Non-governmental organisations such as the guardian and Human rights watch have reported thousands of child soldiers in Myanmar Burma. The Convention on the rights of a child and the Universal declaration of human rights strictly prohibits children in armed conflict further the United Nations further prohibits children in armed conflicts. The International Criminal Court has previously dealt with Thomas Labunga a leader of the liberation forces of the Congo whom used children as young as 10 in his military . However these measures have not been effective as there are still children in conflict due to state sovereignty.
For many years, countless children have been used in wars. These kids are forced by their scheming commanders with drugs, false obligations, and threats. They are told to kill innocent people, destroy homes and buildings, act as spies, and so much more. According to child-soldiers.org, “two million children have been killed in conflict. Over one million have been orphaned, over six million have been seriously injured or permanently disabled and over ten million have been left with serious psychological trauma.” Child soldiers endure many unimaginable sights, sounds, and actions that are very harmful to their young, developing minds. While child soldiers are accountable for many crimes, they should still be given a second chance instead of
For several years the use of children are being used in both civil and state wars. Over 300,000 children are being used and hundreds of thousands are being sent to war in 36 different armed conflicts global (Children of war). These children are as young as 8 years old they have committed some of the most violent acts of crime such as rape, mutilation and mass murders of innocent civilians but some of this children are forced and drugged but also some have volunteered so real questions is should the Child Solders be prosecuted for their crime or can they be rehabilitated?
Child soldiers have killed too many people to just let them go in the open world, whether it is America, London, etc. Child soldiers are no different from child and even adult criminals. According to Child Soldiers, Prosecution, child soldiers are responsible for acts of rape, mutilation and mass killings of civilians. Some people never fully heal from traumatic experiences like mass killings and just individual child soldiers killing dozens of people during war. Therefor, even child soldiers can and should be responsible for the worst of crimes.
As I said in the first sentence, they are victims of the war they are fighting. The government that is prosecuting the children should be prosecuting the commanders. They using the children as soldiers and fall guys ( the people pay for the crime to other people made them