http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6925384.stm
I think reports like the one mentioned in the article is just irresponsible. The report claims that child soldiers suffer from post-traumatic stress, rendering them less likely to consider reconciliation, hence contributing to cycle of violence in war-torn regions where they are employed. The rhetoric of the report (or it could just be the rhetoric of BBC) seems to shift the blame to the "mental illness" of these children as the cause of the continuous violence in war zones. According to BBC, the report says,
"Their mental distress could 'impose barriers to sustainable and long-term peace building...'"
I agree that wars have psychological effects on children, but I don't think we focusing on giving them mental help is going to solve the problem. Are they going to feel better if, after they talk to a shrink and are treated for their illness, they still live in war zones or are recruited by force and violence as soldiers again? These children are not the reason why wars started in the first place- they are just the victims of wars (and victims should not be blamed for what victimizes them). Their "mental illness" (if they have any) does not perpetuate wars- the people who started the wars do. What they need for us to do is to give them LOVE, PROTECT them, STOP VIOLENCE against them, provide them with SHELTERS where they can enjoy their RIGHTS to be CHILDREN, and most importantly, STOP the wars; they do not need mental help. Why don't the researchers go ask those children what they want and see if they'll answer "mental help"?
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I look forward to reading it! See u in class, wahahaha
Wow, this article speaks words for our present-day world. It fascinates me how citizens are trying to 'cure' mental illness rather than focus their attention on the factor that actually perpetrates these health issues such as violence and war.
The article points out an interesting point, "Most of the child soldiers were SUBJECTED to violence to make them fight" I think this is the problem. In addition to the fact that an estimated 250,000 child soldiers are fighting in wars around the world.
Thanks Diana! That's exactly what I am talking about! Why do we always focus on the wrong things and blame the wrong people? Plus, I think "mental illness" is a very Western concept... not that it doesn't exist in other cultures, but it is not the focus of a lot of cultures (e.g. Chinese culture)!
I agree that accusing the children's mental health as the problem, is a way putting the blame on someone else rather than stopping the cycle of perpetuating war and poverty. New studies in PTSD have shown that children who are brought up in abusive or drug households actually have more stress when pulled out of the household,(although this is not always safe) the solution is on fixing the family not just pulling the child away and dealing with adult trauma issues of it later. I agree that stopping the violence and war would be better than handling the effects later. It is the same western mentally of not thinking about the future only the present, just like Western environmental issues.
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