Stolen childhood
The civil war in Sierra Leone belongs to the most brutal conflict in the world in recent years. His extraordinary specificity is forcing children, even the very small ones to make war crimes in the name of revolutionary interests.
This is a story about a boy who was kidnapped from his home and forced into the war.
Bobo J. is a sixteen-year-old youth from Mongered town in the southern province of Sierra Leone. Bobo lived in his native city, just like all the other children, went to school, hang out with his peers – until he was ten years old, when he was taken away. Now, after six years, he’s coming back.
BRUTAL MOVEMENT: Bobo is one of about 6,000 boys and girls who were kidnapped during the civil war in Sierra Leone and were forced to participate as warriors in the ranks of rebel formations. Rebel troops, the so-called Revolutionary Unitary Front (RUF), attacked the Mongers in 1994 and several other villages in the area. The attack was sudden, fast and brutal. The villagers, knowing that the RUF troops are someone you do not want to be on the way for their brutality, they rushed to the nearby thickness of the Mongers. In this panicky run, the fastest and most receptive got away. Bobo was not that lucky-fleeing with his uncle, he found himself in front of the river. None of them knew how to swim and fell into the hands of RUF members. What happened then, unfortunately, is the typical start of the horrors Bobo had to live for the next six years. The rebels, under the threat of death, forced Bobo to kill his uncle. Then, when this bloody and delusional act of initiation of Bobo J. in rebel orders, the insurgents took the boys into their hideouts, from where he was soon transferred away from the place where he was abducted – into his future unit.
CHILD SOLDIERS: Unfortunately, the entire process, as well as the peace treaty itself, has not survived and has ceased after a year and a half. However, during its implementation in several months of 1999 and 2000, several hundred children-soldiers were released. A group of humanitarian organizations dedicated to the problems of demobilized children organized a network for their acceptance and reintegration. Within this network, centers for the temporary reception of demobilized children have been established and organized search for their families. One of the organizations that participated in establishing a network of assistance for children of former participants in the war is the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
DESIRE FOR HOME: On the other hand, the child soldiers we were taking care of were initially very scared and distrustful towards the new environment. At the same time, everyone was eager to return to their homes. Between these two strong sentiments, many children who went through our centers took a long time to get used to the fact that they no longer have to do what they did, but also to understand that they can return to their homes and count on them they still have to be forgiven what they did during their warfare. Still, there were many children who even lied about the fate of their loved ones or of their descent – in fear of possible vengeance and persecution.
This Is a great social problem. There are many stories that match Bobo’s. We should all try and help these children out, they are all very scared, and that is all they are, just children, and they should have a happy childhood.
Zebang Chen
