Words: 1263
When Shame BEA first walks into the army ca pm, he sees all of the soldiers laughing, socializing, and playing games that reminded him Of ho me (BEA 1012). The army makes camp seem enjoyable in order to beguile the children into b leveling that they are not in danger, but, in fact, in a great community. Not long after this, reality starts to set in. As violence starts to erupt, Beach’s lieutenant calls everyone together to show the me two bodies, a man and a child, that had just been gruesomely killed (BEA 107). He spoke to the child soldiers, announcing that,
This man and this child decided to leave this morning even though I had told t hem it was dangerous. The man insisted that he didn’t want to be a part of our war , so I gave him his wish and let him go. Look at what happened. The rebels shot the m In the clearing. My men brought them back, and I decided to show you, so that y oh can fully understand the situation we are in. (BEA 1078) Smith 2 Anybody that tries to escape from the rebels is instantly killed, and they often show the bodies to the new recruits (Dupe 66).
One can assume that they do this essentially to s care loyalty into he young soldiers and make them feel that fighting in the war is their only pop Zion. Soon after that incident, the frightened children are each given an KAKA (BEA 11 1 The commanders make these children think that killing is the right and honorable thing to do. T hey make them think that by killing an opponent they are in turn killing the person that harm De their family (BEA 1 12). The children are “often told that they are protecting their families, homes, and fatherland against rebels who have no right to challenge the government,” (D puppy 67).
An individual may conclude that they use these strategies in order to manipulate he juveniles into becoming killing machines. “Few constraints exist on what trainers can do to children, and children themselves may lack the internal constraints against violence that ordinarily develop through exposure to positive role models, a healthy family life, the rewards for socially constructive behavior, and the encouragement of reasons Weakened psychologically and fearful of their commanders, children can beck mom obedient killers, willing to take on the most dangerous and horrifying assignments. (Weasels 35) The children are then forced to fight on the front lines, killing anyone that crop seed their path. A earldom Monomaniac boy who had previously been a soldier stated that, “T hey put someone in front of me for me to kill. I killed,” (Weasels 35). Additionally, the commanders of the army keep the children in a haze by feed inning them drugs. As the soldiers smoke marijuana, the camp is immersed in nothing but its stench (BEA Smith 3 101 A copious amount Of child soldiers have reported that they were forced I onto taking drugs (Dupe 70).
A camp director from a EUNICE rehabilitation facility says that, “w hen the youths had been given drugs most likely amphetamines they do just about a hitting that was ordered. ‘ Some, he added, were proud of having been effective killers,” (Weeks ells 32). Surely enough, BEA states that before the group of soldiers go out to fight, they are all given unidentifiable white pills that are supposed to give them energy (BEA 116). T he youthful soldiers are often given amphetamines in order to make them less fearful an d more likely to kill their enemies. (Weasels 36).
While at camp, Shame BEA takes a plethora of drugs. The first time he took all of the drugs at the same time, it gave him an extreme mammon t of energy and he let nothing but numbness (BEA 121). Along with food and ammunition, drug s are considered one of the essential elements to maintaining the camp (BEA 121 When he a rived to the rehabilitation facility, BEA was so addicted to these drugs that he would sear chi his pockets for crumbs of cocaine, steal pills from the hospital, and smoke paper in order to t ray to ease their addiction (BEA 139).
These children had been kept high on so many drugs of r so long in order to keep them numb from any morals they might have had left. Furthermore, the commanders of the camp subject these children to war for myriad of reasons. “Child soldiering violates the fundamental rights of children, exploits youth for political purposes, subjects them to slaughter and the ravages of war, and immerses t hem in a system that sanctions killing,” (Weasels 33). If that is the case, why has there been between n two and three hundred thousand active child soldiers each year for twenty to thirty years?
C hill soldiers are used as pawns. Since their minds are not yet done developing, they can be EAI silly manipulated into doing whatever they are told and thinking it is the right thing to do. This c n be seen when Smith 4 Beach’s lieutenant picks five boys, including BEA, to do a killing exhibition (Be ah 124). He lines up five prisoners and each boy has to slice the prisoners throat (BEA 124). The e lieutenant turns it into a competition where the boys prisoner who dies the fastest wins (BEA 1 24).
When the contest is over, all of the child soldiers are celebrating and clapping despite the e traumatic event that had just taken place (BEA 124). The lieutenant easily tricks the children onto committing atrocious acts and thinking they are perfectly normal and even fun. The little ants recruit these children because, “they are capable of performing such a wide range of comb at or conglomerated activities, sometimes even better than adults can,” (Dupe 69). The leaders of the army also view the children as potential spies.
They know that innocent child en are the least suspected people when they are spying on the opposite troops (Dupe 69). B shah’s lieutenant spoke of informants they had on the other side, most likely child soldiers for t his reason (BEA 122). The child soldiers have a less developed understanding of the danger an d risk in a situation Han an adult and therefore would attack more fearlessly (Dupe 69). These c hillier do not fully comprehend the consequences and therefore are willing to do a lot more that n an adult soldier.
The youthful soldiers are much easier to recruit because they are often deseed rate in search of food and shelter and vulnerable from family separation (Dupe 6970). Since t hey are so vulnerable, they do not require pay (Dupe 69). Unlike the adult soldiers, the c not concerned with earning a wage. Especially in Shame Beach’s case, he was more concerned with staying alive. In conclusion, Shame Beach’s novel, long way gone, describes his traumatic journey as a boy soldier. The leaders Of the army deceive these children into thinking that t the army is a pleasant and joyful community.
They exploit these children into doing horror doss tasks by Smith 5 pumping them with drugs until they are completely numb. The children are e easier to recruit than adults and lack the knowledge to fully understand the effects of their actions. It is unfair and unjust that thousands of children are unknowingly coerced into participating I n the army, and despite efforts to save these children, it continues today.