Should former child soldiers be given amnesty or held accountable for their actions?

Outline

Source: Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators

Main point: Child soldiers are not responsible for their actions

Evidence:

• Most of them are forced to join, if they are willing to join they still shouldn't be punished because of both being brainwashed and not being able to think long term, the real affects, only short term affects, which the army would be able to provide, like the necessities like food, water, and shelter.
• The children are not mature enough to make big decisions like that because the part of their brain that makes decisions isn't completely developed, this is called the frontal lobes
• Forced to fight through false promises, drugs, and alcohol. "The drugs, often cocaine mixed with gun powder, brainwash the children to the point where they would rather not escape from the horror unraveling around them." I think anyone who has to face such horrors and terrible moments, not responsible for their own actions shouldn't be punished
• Don't know what to do, meaning they lost everyone
• When they are in a war they have 2 choices, to fight and kill, or to not fight and get killed
• They are different from child criminals, child soldiers are forced to kill innocent civilians, child criminals are not forced. They normally do it through a motive for example they want the money that the other person has, they kill them and then steal the money.

Opposing side:

• If they don't punish the Children, war lords, and armies will keep using them knowing there is no punishment
• "For instance, many believe that child soldiers are mere replicas of child criminals; child criminals are prosecuted. Over the course of the past decades child soldiers have been responsible for some of the most brutal acts in wartime, such as rape, mutilation and mass killings of innocent civilians. Most domestic laws state that the age of criminal responsibility is much lower than 18 (child soldiers are generally considered children under the age of 18). If a child can be convicted for murder under these domestic laws there should be no exception for child soldier’s just because their crimes occurred in wartime." Is one of the opposing arguments that this article talks about.

Response to The Child Soldier on Trial at Guantanamo

You can read the interesting, factual, but advanced article here.

My opinion didn't change after reading this article mostly because it was saying that child soldiers shouldn't be punished. The reason I think this, is mostly because it wasn't their fault, they were raised and brainwashed not knowing what good and bad is, what right and wrong is. Later they probably were also drugged to be extra loyal, and to follow their leaders' every command. So if the children were told to kill, they will kill. Another reason I think it is not the kids's fault is because they haven't gone to school to learn what consequence of war is and why not to participate and support it.

That is my response to the essay.

Pro con list between the victim and perpetrator in child soldiers

Victim: gets forgiveness from the rest of the world, gets abused, becomes brainwashed, some people care about them.

Perpetrator: gets justice, no consequences, are lazy, don't want to fight or work, don't care about the kids.

Both: don't get the right education, want safety (without being brainwashed), want peace (without being brainwashed), want revenge, want to fight, want war, don't care about their life.

Neither: want this system to be abolished, want slavery, have loved ones or care about the world.

Response to the Armed & Underage article

This article explained how, why, and where child soldiers are and where they are used. Check it out here.
Some of the intended effects of recruiting child soldiers are they are fearless, they are very loyal, they are easily manipulated, and there is no end to them. An effect of for the child soldiers is, for short term being abused, injuries, and death, because the person wouldn't be suffering, and the pain would be gone immediately after death. Some long term effects could be being brainwashed because it would last until death unless they were taught differently. The people that are hurt by this system is, of course, the children, but not only the kids but also their parents, because they were probably forced to give them away. I bet the teachers are also hurt because they probably are forced to tell the kids lies and how war is good and if they don't they probably would be either abused or killed. The people that benefit from this system is firstly the military, not having to do the work but letting children do it. Also, all of the adults, because children replace them from getting drafted into the army. The people that are responsible for this is both the army and the government. The victim is any child that they can find. We don't play such a big role in this system except that we could be doing a bit more trying to stop it, and abolish it. The reason the children are so brave and responsible while fighting in wars is because of the consequences the children will face if they are not brave or responsible. Being responsible for something means doing it, standing up to something, and people knowing you'll do something if they tell you to.

This is my response to the Armed & underage article.

What should this girl's fate be?

What should happen to this 14 year old girl who fought in the Myanmar war. She volunteered to fight. She has acted as a messenger and has acted as a driver. As well she has given logistical support, and she has killed. Now that her side has lost, her fate is being decided.



I think that she should be brought to a safe place with no war and only peace, where she can learn things and know the bad things about war. I don't think she should be able to choose what happens to her because she probably would want to stay due to being brain washed. I also do not think that she should be punished in any way, because the country expected her to do all those things and it was also up to the country whether she could join the army, as well as her being brain washed, so she couldn't really make the right decision. I hope that she can move somewhere where she can seek a peaceful life without war and conflict and also go to school and learn the bad things about war.