War Reaps a Young Harvest

CHILDHOOD is supposed to be a happy time. A time of being cherished, sheltered. A time of innocence. The young are expected to play, to learn, and to develop qualities that will help them become responsible adults. Children are not supposed to be killed, and they are certainly not supposed to become killers. In times of war, however, many things happen that are not supposed to happen.

Sadly, warfare abounds on a global scale, and it reaps a young harvest, laying waste both to children and to childhoods. In 1993, major conflicts raged in 42 countries while political violence blazed in 37 others. Living in every one of these 79 countries were children.

Many young people today have never known peace. By the end of 1995, there had been fighting in Angola for over 30 years, in Afghanistan for 17 years, in Sri Lanka for 11 years, and in Somalia for 7 years. In one place after another, politicians confidently spoke of “the peace process,” but the relentless process of war continued to ruin human lives.

Warfare has always hurt children, but the changing nature of war in recent times has resulted in spiraling civilian casualties, including children. During the conflicts of the 18th and 19th centuries and during the early part of this century, about half the victims of war were civilians. In World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, civilian deaths increased to two thirds of the war dead, partly because of the intensive bombing of cities.

By the end of the 1980’s, civilian casualties in war had soared to almost 90 percent! One reason for this is that wars have become more complex. No longer do armies face off only on a battlefield. Most conflicts today are, not between countries, but within them. Moreover, fighting takes place in villages or cities, and there, amid savagery and suspicion, killers make little distinction between the enemy and innocent bystanders.

The toll on children has been heavy. It is estimated that during the past ten years alone, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund, wars have slain two million children and disabled four million to five million others. War has orphaned more than one million children and left 12 million without a home. Because of war, some ten million children are psychologically traumatized.

Libraries are packed with books about warfare. These discuss how and why battles were fought; they describe the weapons and strategies used; they memorialize the generals who directed the carnage. Films maximize the excitement and minimize the suffering of war. Such books and films say little about the innocent victims. The following articles look at how children have been exploited as warriors, how they have been the most vulnerable of all victims, and why we say that children today can enjoy a truly bright future.