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Child
Soldie s’ Vulne abili y
in Da id
Ha ness’
Amani’s
Ri e
Oluwagbeminiyi
Bamisaye, Nma James
Babcock
Uni e si y, Ilishan-Remo,
Ogun S a e, Nige ia
[email protected], [email p o ec ed]
+2347038761915, +2348161261437
DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.5281/zenodo.17740859
Abs ac
The widesp ead issue o child soldie s in A ica has been a long-s anding social p oblem ha o en
ecei es inadequa e a en ion. Du ing con lic s, he igh s o child en and young people a e massi ely
iola ed, making hem se e e ic ims o a med s i e. Thei en i lemen s o li e wi h digni y, ecei e
suppo , and be p o ec ed om iolence, abuse and neglec , as well as hei abili y o de elop o hei
ulles po en ial, a e usually hinde ed. Wa s ha e led o he dea hs o nume ous innocen child en,
displaced coun less amilies, and ad e sely a ec ed many child en who a e ac i e comba an s, This
s udy, he e o e explo es he ulne abili y o child soldie s in Da id Ha ness’ Amani’s Ri e .
U ilizing Ca u h’s T auma heo y, he pape del es in o he auma ic expe iences o child ic ims,
he impac o such expe iences on hem, and he coping s a egies hey adop . The s udy disco e ed
a ia ions in he auma ic expe iences aced by Ade i o and Vic o ia highligh ing he challenges each
endu es. I was also disco e ed ha se e e auma ic e en s aced by child soldie s can igge
emo ional and psychological esponses such as hype - igilance, jumpiness, in usi e image y ela ed
o he auma, epea ed lashbacks, acing hea and embling. The s udy showed ha ic ims o
a med con lic , when po ayed as na a o s in li e a y wo ks, can e ec i ely ecoun he ho o s and
su e ing associa ed wi h child solde ing. I is ecommended ha li e a y au ho s use ic ims o ell
hei own s o ies.
Keywo ds
:
A ica, A med con lic , Child soldie s, T auma, Na a ion, Expe ience
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In oduc ion
Child en a e he bed ock o e e y socie y and i is commonly belie ed ha a amily is no
whole wi hou hem, as hey a e i eplaceable. To his end, in a ypical A ican socie y, he
numbe o child en a ma iage p oduces is o en seen as a key indica o o i s success.
“Family is he cen al o he socie y and wha e e he amily is, ha is who i s socie y is”
(Njoku, 2004). Acco ding o Con en ion on he Righ s o a Child, he amily is he cen al
uni o he socie y and he usual en i onmen o he g ow h and well-being o i s membe s,
pa icula ly child en (2005). Childhood can be seen as he mos delica e s age o human
de elopmen , illed wi h ulne abili y. Child en ely hea ily on o he s o mee hei
undamen al needs, which make hem especially ulne able. This dependency is also
e iden in o he li e s ages. Fo ins ance, many elde ly indi iduals a e unable o ca e o
hemsel es a he la e s age o hei li es,
Ku i, H.M & Aliyu M.A (2014) opine ha ma e s ela ed o child en ha e been gi en he
mos hough s in all socie ies and cul u es in human his o y and as such child en ha e
become synonymous o amily which is he ounda ion o socie ies and na ions and he
emblem o he s eng h o amilies, especially in de eloping socie ies and coun ies (1).
They also add ha in de eloping coun ies and socie ies on he A ican con inen , he bi hs
o child en a e usually he alded wi h ex a agan p epa a ions, cul u al and eligious i uals
and ce emonies o en accompanied wi h gi s p esen ed o such amilies. They go u he
ha o social science and li e a u e, he wo d ‘child en’ wi h e e ence o he global sou h,
esona es wi h such phenomena as abandoned and neglec ed child en, child abuse, child
soldie ing, child- a icking and child labou and ha he issue o child labou , con inues
o be a dis u bing phenomenon (2).
Child soldie ing e e s o he exploi a ion o child en as igh e s o helpe s in wa , ca ied
ou by ei he go e nmen o ebel g oups. Child en can be abduc ed and coe ced in o ba le
in ebel o go e nmen a mies, and he e a e ins ances whe e en i e g oups o child en ha e
been aken om hei schools o his pu pose. In some si ua ions, child en a e con inced
o join mili a y g oups by hei iends o amily membe s who a e al eady pa icipa ing.
In hese cases, hey may be mo i a ed by eligious belie s, and/o by he hope ha hei
mino i y e hnic g oup o impo e ished egion will one day enjoy poli ical independence
and ma e ial bene i s. Mos o en, howe e , he child en ha e been coe ced in o wha is a
o m o o ced labou . The ac ual wo k hey do can include wielding sophis ica ed
weapon y a a e y young age and wi h li le aining. They may be o ced o commi ac s
o ex eme sa age y, o en unde he in luence o d ugs o dull hei sensi i i y and mo al
conscience―and unde pain o hei dea h i hey e use o ca y ou he o de .
Acco ding o ILO, ens o housands o gi ls and boys ind hemsel es igh ing adul wa s
in a leas 17 coun ies in di e en egions a ound he wo ld. Some a e used as igh e s and
ake a di ec pa in hos ili ies while o he s a e used in suppo i e oles (e.g. cooks, po e s,
messenge s, o spies) o o sexual pu poses. They a e abduc ed, o ce ully ec ui ed o
pe sonally decide o en oll ( o ins ance o su i al, o p o ec ion o engeance).
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Howe e , when pe sonal ini ia i es a e analyzed, i becomes clea ha hey we e aken
unde du ess and in igno ance o he consequences. Al edson posi s ha child en unde
he age o 18 who se e in a med o ces and he a med g oup a ound he wo ld a e
ulne able o se ious physical and psychological iolence. She explains u he ha child
soldie s se e wi hin mili a ies and a med g oups in which comple e coope a ion and
obedience a e demanded, in con no els whe e mo al and legal sa egua ds agains hei
abuse may ha e b oken down (2011). The use o child en in a med con lic is he wo s
o m o child labou , a iola ion o human igh s and a wa c ime. ILO Con en ion No.182
de ines o ced o compulso y ec ui men o child en o use in a med con lic as he wo s
o m o child labou ( ol. 4).
Me hodology
This s udy employed li e a y analysis o examine he po ayal o child labou in
Amani’s Ri e . The s udy adop ed a quali a i e app oach, in ol ing a de ailed and close
examina ion o he chosen no el o he s udy o b ing ou he ac o s esponsible o
child labou , o ms, e ec s and coping s a egies exhibi ed by child labou ic ims in
he no el. T auma heo y elemen s such as memo y, ep ession, auma symp oms and
Pos -T auma ic S ess Diso de (PTSD) we e u ilized o examine he auma ic o deals
aced by child soldie s, he equency o iolence agains hem, and hei e o s o cope
wi h and o e come hese ad e se expe iences.
Theo e ical
F amewo k
Fo he analy ical ask o achie e i s in ended pu pose, i is essen ial o ha e a sui able
heo e ical amewo k o analyzing he chosen no el. The e o e, auma heo y is he
heo y used o c ea e an app op ia e model o his analysis. T auma heo y was u ilized
o assess and explo e he auma ic expe iences o child soldie s wi h a ocus on
ep ession, memo y and pos - auma ic s ess diso de as key elemen s in he s udy’s
analysis. I also enables comp ehension o he beha iou s and ac ions exhibi ed by he
iden i ied child soldie s unde sc u iny.
T auma heo y eme ged in he 1960s om se e al a eas o social conce n: ecogni ion o
he p e alence o iolence agains women and child en ( ape, ba e ing and inces );
iden i ica ion o he phenomenon o PTSD in (Vie nam) wa e e ans; and awa eness o
he psychic sca s in lic ed by o u e and genocide, especially ega ding he Holocaus .
T auma heo y a emp s o unde s and he di e en ways by which auma ic occu ences
a e demons a ed, p ocessed, exposed and ep essed h oughou a a ie y o li e a y and
his o ical no els. T auma has been pe cei ed and de ined in di e en ways o e he yea s,
dependen on he de elopmen o knowledge and he unde s anding o he impac o
auma ic expe iences on he indi idual, amily, communi y and socie y (Van de Kolk,
2014). In ecen decades, he de ini ion o auma has been consis en ly inclusi e o he
ollowing elemen s: (1) an iden i ied e en o se ies o e en s ha is (2) expe ienced by
he indi iduals as physically o emo ionally ha m ul, h ea ening o o e whelming and
(3) has las ing and holis ic e ec s on he indi idual’s unc ioning (He man, 1992;
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Laplanche and Pon alis, 1973; Ringel and B andell, 2012; Subs ance Abuse and
Heal h Se ices Adminis a ion (SAMHSA) 2012; Van de Kolk, 2014).
Child Soldie s’ Vulne abili y in Da id Ha ness’
Amani’s Ri e
Ade i o’s na a ion e eals he connec ion be ween wa a e and he ulne abili y o child
soldie s in Amani’s Ri e , akin o he depic ion in Uzodinma Iweala’s no el, Beas o No
Na ion. In Amani’s Ri e , he na a i e un eils he ha m ul impac o wa on child en,
who cons i u e he mos suscep ible g oup. Th ough Ade i o and Vic o ia’s cha ac e s,
he au ho illus a es he o deals o child soldie s and how hese expe iences shape hei
li es, especially highligh ing Vic o ia’s daily abuse. The ex del es in o he ha sh
condi ions aced by child soldie s, he epe cussions o such ci cums ances, and he
coping mechanisms hey employ. These a e e ealed in he ollowing:
Fo ms o Child Labou in
Amani’s Ri e
Child en Used o A med Fo ces (Ade i o and
Vic o ia)
The p e alen use o child en in a med comba is a con empo a y mani es a ion o
sla e y and a o m o human a icking ha is as se ious and as luc a i e as he
in e na ional c imes o a icking in weapons and d ugs (Tie enb un, 2000). Child en
in ol ed in a med o ces se e as igh e s o auxilia y pe sonnel in con lic si ua ions
conduc ed by ei he go e nmen o ebel g oups. O en, hese young indi iduals ec ui ed
as child soldie s a e o ce ully aken om hei esidences, subjec ed o o u e and
ained in iolen ideologies, coe ced in o subs ance abuse and h ea ened wi h dea h.
This was e iden in he expe iences o Ade i o and Vic o ia, who we e seized om hei
homes in Homoine by ebel g oups o be enlis ed as child soldie s. Ade i o na a es hei
d ead ul expe iences, including ailed a emp s o e ade abduc ion, s a ing:
As we lay, embling in he all dead g ass, a oo s ep
c ep close . I didn’ wan o look. Lying wi h my head
lowe ed, I hoped he imp ession was o in he dis ance and
p ayed ha whoe e his pe son was, he came in peace.
Someone was s a ing a me, so I closed my eyes, hoping ha
he elonga ed s a e wen away. Wi hou no ice, a sha p kick
dug in my side. The sha p pain in ensi ied as a la ge boo hi
my ib wi h ex eme o ce. I cu led my body and gasped o
ai . I pan ed, and jus when he pain dispe sed, a second blow
o he same spo landed e en ha de on my ib cage… (71)
Child en enlis ed as child soldie s a e ypically unde he con ol o adul soldie s who
u ilize a ious ac ics o manipula e hem in o compliance. These young ec ui s a e
exposed daily o dehumanizing ac s o c uel y ha oughen hen and ins ill ea lessness.
In o de o s ay ali e, hese ec ui s mus adap o becoming ue soldie s by engaging in
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iolence, causing ha m, and pa aking in immo al beha iou s. Ade i o, in o de o
su i e and gain a ou wi h he commande whom he ega ds as a pa en al igu e a e
being sepa a ed om his amily o an ex ended pe iod, lea ns how o handle i ea ms.
Ini ially, hus seemed awkwa d and su eal, bu wi h p ac ice, he becomes desensi ized
o his ac ions and no longe eels emo se o his ac ions. A clea illus a ion o his
change in Ade i o’s mindse can be seen in his s a emen :
I was my hi d a emp , my eyes became da ke , and a demon
consumed my body. I an up o he dummy and hi i ha d
wi h he bu o he gun and hen le ou a massi e sc eam as
I u ned my gun a ound and s abbed he dummy ha d in he
gu . This was done wi h such a o ce ha he wooden suppo
beam b oke nea he bo om, and he dummy oppled o he
g ound, bouncing i s be o e es ing…I le ou one migh y
sc eam as i I we e a mons ous maniac eady o kill. The
su ounding ins uc o s clapped as i I had jus pe o med a
mi acle…(79)
F om he passage, i can be deduced ha child soldie s like Ade i o a e usually
b ainwashed ho oughly and b u ally o he poin ha hei e hics and mo al alues
become so dis o ed ha hey belie e doing e il is good. Ade i o is decei ed in o
hinking he commande is a e his wellbeing because he commande usually commends
him whene e he kills o exhibi s any o m o iolence. “Wha you did oday was
imp essi e. I hink you will be an ou s anding igh e and will make me p oud” (79). As
a esul o he commande ’s immense sa is ac ion wi h Ade i o’s skills, he p o ides him
wi h d ugs ha al e his s a e o mind, causing him o o ge he ha dships he has endu ed
and he a oci ies he has commi ed. Ade i o ecoun s he inciden :
You know, I ha e some hing o you.” He eached o e ,
g abbed he base o my chai , and pulled i owa d him. The
commande eached o my hand, ook ou a la ge an ubbe
ube, and ied i jus abo e my elbow. “This will help you
o ge abou wha happened yes e day.”…He p essed he
sy inge, which eleased he subs ance in o my bloods eam.
Wi hin a ew seconds, I became elaxed, my body slouched
u he in o he chai , and my head es ed on he back…The
sensa ion illed my desi e, my wo ies escaped my hough s,
and my mind and body el ee om any e ible hing ha
migh ha e happened. (80)
Child soldie s a e equen ly adminis e ed d ugs like cocaine and ma ijuana o lessen
hei ea s and boos hei comba skills. Howe e , d ug use can hinde a child’s holis ic
de elopmen in a heal hy and no mal way, as well as hei abili y o expe ience eedom
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and digni y. These child en ini ially ained o be ea less, ul ima ely ans o m in o
e i ying killing machines ha o he s s i e o s ee clea o :
I was s anding in shock as I had done i , killed a man, and
now I was pa o his mo emen . My emo ions o n be ween
he mo als o childhood lessons and he e il ha appea ed.
The de il inside said ha his was he igh hing o do while
he nobili y was elling me o un. The demon was aking
o e , and he oice inside my head eaching me igh om
w ong was ge ing quie e . (83)
Child soldie s endu e b u al b ainwashing and ha sh comba aining ha compel ` hem
o ollow o de s o kill innocen indi iduals in o de o su i e, They a e coe ced in o
commi ing ac s o ex eme iolence and ba ba ism, such as beheadings, ampu a ions,
ape, and bu ning people ali e. In some ins ances, hey a e e en o ced o consume
human lesh, a p ac ice hei commande claim will p o ec hem om hei enemies and
is in eg al o hei aining:
…Today, we will cu up his body and eed you o dinne .
This will p o ec you om FRELIMO oops, he commande
said o he c owd o young child en. No one e en ques ioned
him. We ag eed ha his mus be he bes ac ion, no because
i was logical bu because he commande had said i , he mus
know wha he was doing…Vic o ia came back a ew minu es
la e , b inging a bowl o s ew, wi h a dis inc i e human
lesh ha was o be gi en o he child soldie s. (85-86)
Simila ly, Ade i o and o he child soldie s a e o ced o wi ness and commi ac s o
iolence ha no one, especially child en, should e e encoun e . Ade i o’s auma ic
expe iences in he ebel camp pe sis s as he eels compelled o p o e himsel as a
cou ageous man and honou able wa io o e e yone a ound him, pa icula ly he
commande and his ellow soldie s. He engages in u he a oci ies, which numb his
emo ions and ha den his hea . The o e whelming eelings ha e engul ed him o he poin
whe e he ea s he pe son he has become:
I el like a man holding a gun, d essed in mili a y a i e,
bu appea ing as an innocen boy eady o s ep ou side in o
he eal wo ld and en e he li e o a c iminal. My clo hes
we e oo big, and my gun was di icul o hold. My ace
wo e he ideals o a child, bu I didn’ da e hink he
hough s as he man inside did no wish o hea he innocen
hough s o a boy. (90-91)Child soldie s a e o en compelled
o wi ness he dea hs o hei close ela i es. Such
expe iences a e highly auma izing, especially o a young
child. A no able example is Ade i o, who obse ed he
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b u al killing o his a he by he commande o he camp
whe e he was ained as a child soldie . Ade i o ecoun s he
dis u bing e en :
Tha is he commande . They a e p obably coming back o
ind me,” I said as I s a ed o shake and pace back and o h,
an ic a hei p esence. My eyes widened, and I couldn’
ind he s eng h o blink. I paced up and down he co ido ,
ying o escape om he h ea , bu ealized ha he e was
nowhe e o go… “You guys should s ay he e. I will go alk
wi h hem,” my a he said as he walked owa d he doo …I
wa ched my a he walk b a ely owa d he commande
wi h his hands s e ched ou , signaling his wish o peace ul
alks. (191-192)
Child en who wi ness he dea h o lo ed ones a e p one o expe iencing auma.
Wi nessing his a he ’s dea h is a auma izing expe ience o Ade i o. This is seen in
his ecollec ion o he e en . He ecalls he iolen inciden which causes his a he ’s
dea h:
The commande u ned his back owa d my a he and
hen u ned a ound wi h his is s clenched igh oge he .
Wi h ex eme o ce, his is landed on my a he ’s s omach.
His body lunged o wa d. His mou h widened, and he
gasped o b ea h. The commande g abbed my a he ’s chin
and aised his head, hen landed a ha d le hook o his ace.
My a he lew backwa d, and blood lew om his mou h.
He landed on his knees wi h his ace in he di and his
bu ocks s icking in he ai . (192)
Ade i o’s i id desc ip ion o his a he ’s exc ucia ing pain and dea h as he
s uggles wi h he commande and o he soldie s is made ba e in his wo ds:
The commande li ed his igh oo and placed i on his
mou h. He dug deep, p essing ha d un il he had p ied open
his mou h. He con inued o dig in o his mou h, s u ing his
boo u he down he h oa . The commande bi his lip ha d
as he ied o pu s eng h in o his ac o b u ali y…The
commande le b ie ly and wen o he uck. He g abbed a
gas canis e and walked o e my a he . He aised he
canis e o e my a he ’s head and began o pou …The
en i e canis e emp ied on my a he , and now he sa co e ed
wi h gas, wincing in pain and shaking a he hough o wha
migh happen nex …(195-196)
This pa icula inciden sha e s Ade i o’s spi i , lea ing him o g apple wi h he auma
o an ex ended pe iod. His esponse aligns wi h wha Ca u h desc ibed as “ he eac ion
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o an un o eseen o o e whelming iolen e en o e en s ha a e no en i ely unde s ood
a he ime hey happen…” Ade i o con eys his s uggle o ully g asp he eno mi y o
wha he has wi nessed by s a ing ha :
I an away and in o my oom. I jumped on my bed, ace i s ,
and hen co e ed my eyes wi h my hand. My ches apidly
ose and ell, and my hea pounded…Tea s co e ed my ba e
hand. I ied o yell, bu when I opened my mou h, gasps o
ai came ou …I ied o alk o God, bu I el ha he had
le me a long ime ago. I b ea hed spo adically in and ou ;
my s omach was shaking, and one ea a e he o he came
om my eyes…My eyes u ned ed, and b ea hing
inc eased o he poin ha I was hype en ila ing…Pe haps
i was God who s opped hem, o he commande knew ha
he b u al o u e o my a he le me weakened…(197-198)
F om he o egoing, i can be deduced ha Ade i o endu es signi ican emo ional and
psychological auma. Ade i o’s a he , Amani, sac i ices his li e o secu e his son’s
eedom. Following his a he ’s dea h, Ade i o con inues o su e om he auma ic
expe iences he expe ienced as a child soldie .
Domes ic Child Se an
(Vic o ia)
Vic o ia, a en-yea -old gi l abduc ed alongside Ade i o, is o ced in o se i ude in he
ebel’s camp. Gi ls aken o his pu pose a e se e ely mis ea ed and ensla ed, pa icula ly
since hey a e no allowed o lea e o e u n o hei amilies. Abduc ed gi ls ha e limi ed
chances o becoming child soldie s like he boys; ins ead, hey a e p ima ily used as
domes ic se an s o sex sla es. Vic o ia is assigned he as he domes ic se an as soon as
she a i es o he camp. The commande in o ms he o he soldie s o he assigned oles as
he says:
The commande looked a Vic o ia and said, he gi l will be a se an . She
will no be igh ing wi h he boys. Take he away and make he do womanly
wo k. (77)
Based on he exce p , one obse es ha gi ls unlike boys a e used as cooks
and sex sla es by soldie s, and may be o ced o engage in comba and
indi ec hos ili ies as well. These child en a e usually exposed o inju ies and
dea h, e en i hey su i e, hey will o e e bea he aces o he physical
and psychological iolence hey su e ed du ing hei cap i i y. A he
camp, Vic o ia hough a domes ic se an also aces sexual exploi a ions and
physical assaul s om soldie s.
The na a o goes on o depic how Vic o ia aces sexual and physical abuses.
He na a es: I looked up as Vic o ia was being d agged by Zeilo. She was
kicking, sc eaming, and yelling o me o help. They en e ed a oom ha was
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acan and shu he doo …I walked owa d he casemen . Zelio had pinned
he o he bed. Vic o ia shook, ying o a oid his kisses. He punched he ha d
se e al imes in he ace. This s unned and calmed he . Zelio kissed he neck
ha d and hen wo ked his way o he na el… He ook he shi as she
s uggled mo e. He slapped he ac oss he ace… (146-147)
As i can be in e ed om he ex ac , Vic o ia is abused physically and sexually by
Zeilo, one o he soldie s in he camp who hinks ha gi ls a e bi ches and should be
used as such. He says “Tough. You didn’ use he like a man. Conside ha a lesson.
Tha is how you use you bi ches.” (147). Gi ls used as domes ic se an s in he
soldie s’ camp a e usually a he ecei ing end o abuse.
E ec s o Child Labou on Child Labou Vic ims in Amani’s Ri e
The expe ience o being a child soldie p o oundly a ec s he beha iou and emo ions
o he ic ims. The no el emphasizes i s de as a ing consequences, such as en o ced
p ema u e adul hood, psychological auma, and e en dea h.
P ema u e Adul hood
Ade i o, Vic o ia and o he child soldie s, because o hei ea ly exposu e o iolence,
a e compelled o adop adul beha iou s and wi ness expe iences mean only o adul s.
To gain he a ou o he commande and o he soldie s, Ade i o lea ns o kill, wi h he
commande asse ing ha , “Ade i o has p o en ha he is a man and is eady o
show us his loyal y.”(82). The innocence Ade i o b ough o he camp is s ipped away
as he is ained o become a beas . The adul s o ced him o commi e ible ac s, hings
ha no child should e e ha e o do o expe ience. Ade i o acknowledges his:
An olde man saw ha I was a child and ied o s op me. He
yelled se e al imes, bu I was unawa e o his a emp . The
old man ied o scold me as i I we e his son, bu wha he
didn’ know was ha my new a he p aised me o my
ac ions…I app oached he man, and when I was a ew
inches om he s ick, I lipped he gun and knocked his hand
ha d, o cing him o elease he cane back o he
g ound…”Why does an innocen boy look and ac so e il?”
he said as a single ea olled om his lowe eyelid, shaken
by he sigh o me. “I look a you ace, and I see such
swee ness, bu he e is some hing abou you ha shows
des uc ion. Why, my son? Wha did hey do o you?. (99)
Ade i o adap s o he ha sh li es yle o he b u al soldie s as a esul o he nega i e expe iences
he encoun e s a he camp. Ade i o who used o uphold his alues and good upb inging now
displays no conscience o emo se o killing, a change no ed by Vic o ia as she ies o eason
wi h him. This shi in mindse is e iden in he con e sa ion ha ensues be ween Vic o ia and
Ade i o:
