Uganda Child Soldiers

[Zephyr]

So we watched a documentary in my AP History class for current events and what I saw made me cry.

Children are kidnapped and coerced into being soldiers for an anti-government movement. They are trained to kill. These are children from ages 5 to 14 that they target. What really got me was when these two brothers were talking about being kidnapped with their older brother. When they were escaping, their brother was shot down and they got away. The kid just flat out burst into genuine tears and sobs... right after he says that crying can ge you killed... and he talks about how he would rather die than be alive so that he can escape this hell on earth and so that he can join his older brother in heaven.

Has anybosy else seen this documentary, or heard of this story before?

[Whisper]

Ya they line them up every 5th child gets his hand cut off to instill fear
etc...

Its disgusting but theres no profit in touching Africa so it will never be high on NATO's or the security counsels radar
the last time any gov actually made a half ass attempt was Rwanda and that was a failure

[Zephyr]

Yes, the government running on aggrandizement motivation is rather disgusting. Survival of the fittest I guess, even if sweeping it under the rug is what is going to happen since Africa doesn't have much in that area.

[Underground_Network]

Africa is the way it is b/c of a lot of European countries.. Way back in the 18th century and early 19th century when European countries imperialized Africa, they put rival tribe together and intentionally forced upon conflicts between tribes so that the tribes would not revolt against them... Their plan was basically successful, but once they left Africa, Africa was a mess. And that mess is still there, and they have yet to go there and clean up their mess. Its really disgraceful actually... What's going on in Africa sucks right now... There's so much violence and so little stability.. The gov't. isn't helping the people, its hurting the people... There needs to be foreign intervention... Unlike way in the past when Europe went to Africa and imperialized most of the African countries (with the exceptions of Liberia and Ethiopia), they justified their actions claiming "the Africans needed their help", when they really didn't.. So they helped them when they didn't need help, but now they won't help them when they actually need help? WTF?

And as to the focus on child soldiers.. It really sucks that their dragging little children into this conflict that they can't even understand... They just brainwash them and train them to kill.. Its flat-out sickening, and Uganda is definitely not the only country with child soldiers.. most war-torn countries in Africa have child soldiers, lots of them in fact... :/

[sophies_justice]

are you talking about the Invisible Children film? i saw that last year in a school convo and it made me cry. those poor kids and all those families who are displaced...makes me grateful that we don't have that sort of civil war going on here. and a crazy army like the LRA like they do there. it's a pretty sad situation for sure.

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