YOUR war OUR lives.

Links to more info about child soldiers

See how you can help, information and ways to help through the links below:
http://congocast.org/ <-- my personal favorite http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1121301.html
http://www.child-soldiers.org/childsoldiers/child-soldiers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_soldier
http://www.amnestyusa.org/children/child-soldiers/page.do?id=1051047
http://www.childsoldiers.net/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/childrensrights/childrenofconflict/soldier.shtml http://www.ushmm.org/
http://allafrica.com/stories/200905050007.html

War Ripping Lives Apart

“They beat all the people there, old and young, they killed them all, nearly 10 people…like dogs they killed them…I didn’t kill anyone, but I saw them killing…the children who were with them killed too…with weapons… they made us drink the blood of people, we took the blood from the dead into the bowl and they made us drink…then when they killed the people they made us eat their liver, their heart, which they took out an sliced and fried…And they made us little ones eat.”
-Peruvian woman, recruited by the Shining
Path at age 11

“The first time I went into battle I was afraid. But after two or three days they forced us to start using cocaine, and then I lost my fear. When I was taking drugs, I never felt bad on the front. Human blood was the first thing I would have every morning. It was my coffee in the morning… every morning.”
-Ibrahim, 16

“ I was recruited by force, against my will. On evening while we were watching a video show in my village three army sergeants came. They checked whether we had identification cards and asked if we wanted to join the army. We explained that we were under age and hadn’t got identification cards. But one of my friends said he wanted to join. I said no and came back home that evening but an army recruitment unit arrived the next morning at my village and demanded two new recruits. Those who could not pay 3000 kyats had to join the army, they said. I (my parents) could not pay, so altogether 19 of us were recruited in that way and sent to Mingladon (an army training centre).”
- Zaw Tun’s

“One boy tried to escape, but he was caught. They made him eat a mouthful of red pepper, and five people were beating him. His hands were tied, and then they made us, the other new captives, kill him with a stick. I felt sick. I knew this boy from before. We were from the same village. I refused to kill him, and they told me they would shoot me. They pointed a gun at me, so I had to do it. The boy was asking me, “Why are you doing this?” I said I had no choice. After we killed him, they made us smear blood on our arms. I felt dizzy. They said we had to do this so we would not fear death, and so we would not try to escape.”
-Susan, 16

“When we got there we were in an ambush, the rebels were attacking where we were in a bush. I did not shoot my gun at first, but when you looked around and saw your schoolmates, some younger than you, crying while they were dying with their blood spilling all over you, there was no option but to start pulling the trigger. I lost my parents during the war, they told us to join the army to avenge our parents.”

-Franz Kruger

MLA:

Child Soldier's Stories. 5 May 2009 .