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Reflections of an AFJN Summer Intern
 The first issue in Africa that caught my immediate attention was the use of children in armed forces. Before
becoming an intern at AFJN, I was aware that child soldiers existed;
however, I was not knowledgeable about the issue. I hadn’t heard about
the process of becoming a child soldier, their lives as soldiers, or
the struggles that await them once their service has ended. As I researched, the frequent discussion of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) sparked my interest.
The use of child soldiers in the LRA in Northern
Uganda and Southern Sudan is a well-known concern. The LRA has
committed numerous humanitarian crimes against its own people,
including, but not limited to, kidnapping, raping, and killing.
During my time with AFJN, I expected to understand the history and conflict behind the use of child soldiers. I wanted to know how influential governments could enforce the prevention of children as soldiers and what methods of punishment are used against countries that continued to use children.
I haven not met any child soldiers personally, but I have read and heard many of their stories. Save Darfur and the Enough Project with their extensive analysis of conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa, really shaped my understanding of the situation in Africa regarding children in rebel groups and government forces. I also read A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah, which describes in detail Beah’s life before, during, and after his involvement in the war. I watched the movie “Invisible Children,” which introduced me to the children of Uganda who came together every night to hide from the raids of armed forces. I also attended briefings such as “Child Soldiers: New Evidence, New Advocacy Approaches” at the U.S. Institute of Peace, which focused on the importance of rehabilitation.
I have learned that children are easy targets because they are immature, impressionable, dependent, and can hide in small spaces so that they are not easily detected. Most child soldiers are kidnapped or coerced into action; however, in some cases, children voluntarily join because of economic needs, personal safety, or to avenge the death of a loved one due to the war. Once a child is an official member of the armed force, they are often drugged with cocaine, marijuana, or a substance referred to as “brown-brown”, which is a mixture of cocaine and gunpowder. Soon, the children form a sense of community and safety within the armed force that transforms them into loyal soldiers.
Former child soldiers suffer from deep trauma and are in great need of rehabilitation. Many are released from armed groups with nothing. It is very important that these children be reunited with their communities, given opportunities, and provided a sense of purpose.
My research on child soldiers in the LRA devastated me. However, there are many things that can be done. Currently, the Child Soldier Prevention Act of 2007 (S.1175 and H.R.3028) has been designed to prohibit any U.S. military aid to a country that uses children as soldiers. You can write to your Senator and Representative to ask that they cosponsor S.1175 and H.R.3028 today so the use of children during war will come to an end.
-Rehana Merchant
AFJN summer intern
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