Preventing the use of child soldiers, preventing genocide

Child Soldiers in Genocidal Regimes: The Cases of the Khmer Rouge and the Hutu Power

“…The core group of the organization was supplied with weapons, and the children were given machetes during the preparation, the use of which did not cause them trouble because they used them during agricultural work. [20]…”

“…Within the same period, the FPR swelled from 3,000 to 22,000 fighters. [20] With such a rate of expansion the presence of child soldiers is not surprising, since both sides' -especially the FPR -human resource requirements could only meet scarce resources. [20] The other reason was -similarly to the Cambodian case -the children's emotional and mental immaturity, which made them more vulnerable to the government's hateful propaganda than adults.…”

“…[20] With such a rate of expansion the presence of child soldiers is not surprising, since both sides' -especially the FPR -human resource requirements could only meet scarce resources. [20] The other reason was -similarly to the Cambodian case -the children's emotional and mental immaturity, which made them more vulnerable to the government's hateful propaganda than adults. In addition, as in Rwanda children are taught to obey adults, they carried out orders more readily from the authorities than adults.…”

“…The use of children was a deliberate tactical and strategic plan by the extremists." [20] The number of the badly effected people surpasses child soldiers and those who lost their lives or suffered any kind of abuse. Since the usage of child soldiers has long-term effects on society, as those children were socialised in violent circumstances, their reintegration into the society after the war has a slim chance.…”