Child Soldiers In The Civil War Essay

Children have been used as soldiers in many events, however two that stand out are the use of child soldiers in the Sierra Leone civil war and the drug cartels in Mexico. Most people agree that forcing children to be soldiers is wrong and not humane. The people that make them soldiers transform them into belligerent beings by force. Child soldiers of drug cartels and the armies of Sierra Leone were threatened with their lives if they didn’t become soldiers. The lives of these child soldiers are lives that nobody should live. Situations in both countries are horrible because of the high number of youngsters that are forced to take part in drug use and are transformed into extremely belligerent and inhumane people; in addition they are deprived

of their education.

There have been an extremely high number of children that have been forced, either by being abducted or threatened, to become soldiers.

The civil war of Sierra Leone lasted from 1991 to 2002. In this civil war approximately fifteen thousand kids were forced to become soldiers. Either by being kidnapped or by having their lives threatened. The situation was an extremely sad one. They had no choice weather they wanted to be soldiers or not. Like Ishmael said in A Long Way Gone, “It was either kill or be killed.” This situation is one where most people would not even be able to imagine themselves in. Ishmael Beah was a boy who suffered, because of the civil war. His family was killed and he was forced to become a soldier for the military. He eventually was rescued by UNICEF and eventually moved to the United States. For a decade, there has been a war between Mexican drug cartels and the Mexican government. There have been an unacceptable number of kids that have been used as soldiers in this war. Approximately, thirty thousand youngsters have been forced into becoming soldiers. In contrast to Sierra Leone, the soldiers here are only for the drug cartels, but in Sierra Leone even the government made the children become soldiers too. Just like the children of Sierra Leone, the children of Mexico are also kidnapped or threatened into becoming soldiers. Once captured, they are transformed into belligerent

soldiers.
These children are forced to do things they would never do. The children in both situations are forced to take an excessive amount of drugs so that they are able to do the inhumane things they are forced to do. Eventually the children become addicted and extremely reliant on the drugs. In addition, it influenced their personality. They lose their sense of compassion for other people, and eventually start killing without thinking about it. In both countries during the wars children weren’t trusted because they may be soldiers. It is morally wrong to force a child to become addicted to drugs and to force them to kill people uncontrollably. This will affect their lives forever. Youngsters should never be used as soldiers and should never be given drugs. Children should be in school getting an education because they are the future.

The youth is the future, and if the future doesn’t have a good education what will the world become? The children of both Mexico and Sierra Leone are lacking education since they do not receive the appropriate education while being soldiers. In addition, the children of Sierra Leone that are no longer soldiers still cant get a good education. Since the country is still in great devastation after the war. Many children work in order to maintain their family or even themselves since many lost their families. How will the societies advance past the effects of the war if their future has little education? Children need an education; people need to help these kids be able to go to school. We need children in school not in war.

The situation in both countries is one that most people couldn’t even imagine being part of. The things the kids are forced to endure from their recruitment to becoming uncontrolled killers are unacceptable. The children are the future of our society and they must get a good education. These children should be in school. Once the war in Mexico finishes what will the children do if they have no education? They may become criminals or live on the streets, but nothing good. These kids need help and they need it immediately this isn’t a situation that can wait. It is imperative that something be done. In conclusion, these children soldiers were forced to become addicted to drugs, became belligerent killers, now lack education, and do not have a bright future; this situation is unacceptable and something needs to change.