12,500 Little Girls Are Members of Armed Groups In DRC

According to a report by NGO there are 12,500 female children soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Less then 2 percent of the girl soldiers in DRC pass through the Save the Children's reintegration programme.

Far too often children are fighting in wars because of conscious and deliberate decisions made by adults. I bet most of these children doesn't even have a clue what they are fighting for. And what are they fighting for?

Related ATS Threads:
Taliban Recruiting Children In Afghanistan (by Hellmutt)
UN Launch Blitz In Eastern DRC - Operation Falcon Sweep (by Hellmutt)
UN Launch Another Major Offensive In DRC - Operation Thunder Storm (by Hellmutt)
NEWS: U.N.: Cannibalistic Congo Militias Grilled Victims Alive (by FredT)
Humanitarian crises: Congo worst (by Souljah)
40,000 rapes in Congo (by infinite8)
UN Peacekeepers Killed In The Congo (from ATSNN) (by Nygdan)
NEWS: U.N. Troops in Congo Kill 50 Militiamen in Gun Battle (by James the Lesser)

[edit on 2006/4/28 by Hellmutt]

Horrible, simpyl Horrible...

News coming out Congo and Sudan are pretty sickening - and they are just getting sicker. Africa has had so many civil wars in last 50 years and so many people have died - most of them women and children, who usually pay the ultimate price in modern wars. Not to mention diseases, famine, drought...

And what does the West do? And the rest of the World?

Nothing...

And things are not getting any better for the people of Africa - times are just getting harder and harder.

Originally posted by Souljah
Horrible, simpyl Horrible...

And what does the West do?
Nothing...

By west, i assume you mean the US?

what are supposed to do, babysit the world? first they say we are an agressive empire. Then when something is going badly in the world we should step in and do something? so which is it? are we benevelant tyrants?

I dont understand why the undeveloped world is the west's responsibility, where is the soviet union that would show the mid east and the rest of the world the way? Wont islam step in and help these people? all these philosphys they adopt have never worked.

No the West isnt just the USA all "first world" nations should be ashamed of what is happening in Africa.

Why? It's their own country/continent, shouldnt they be able to govern themselves?

Originally posted by Rikimaru
By west, i assume you mean the US?

what are supposed to do, babysit the world? first they say we are an agressive empire. Then when something is going badly in the world we should step in and do something? so which is it? are we benevelant tyrants?

I dont understand why the undeveloped world is the west's responsibility, where is the soviet union that would show the mid east and the rest of the world the way? Wont islam step in and help these people? all these philosphys they adopt have never worked.

I am sorry to Inform you, but the West is directly responsible for the forming of the Third World Countires and their enormous Debt - from which come the endless Third World Wars. It is the Legacy of Colonialism, and I did not say the USA was the guilty one, but the WEST. The West who had colonized Africa, Asia, Middle East, just about everybody. And the effect we see today....

• Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day.
  
  
• The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the poorest 48 nations (i.e. a quarter of the world’s countries) is less than the wealth of the world’s three richest people combined.
  
  
• Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
  
  
• Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.
  
  
• 1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children in the world). 640 million live without adequate shelter, 400 million have no access to safe water, 270 million have no access to health services. 10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5.
  
  
• 20% of the population in the developed nations, consume 86% of the world’s goods.
  
  
• Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn't happen.
  
  
• “The lives of 1.7 million children will be needlessly lost this year [2000] because world governments have failed to reduce poverty levels”
  
  
• According to UNICEF, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”
  That is about 210,000 children each week, or just under 11 million children under five years of age, each year.
  

Global Priority $U.S. Billions

Basic education for everyone in the world: 6
Cosmetics in the United States: 8
Water and sanitation for everyone in the world: 9
Ice cream in Europe: 11
Reproductive health for all women in the world: 12
Perfumes in Europe and the United States: 12
Basic health and nutrition for everyone in the world: 13
Pet foods in Europe and the United States: 17
Business entertainment in Japan: 35
Cigarettes in Europe: 50
Alcoholic drinks in Europe: 105
Narcotics drugs in the world: 400
Military spending in the world: 780

Source:Global Issues That Affect Everyone

Pretty Nice World ey?

Remember souljah they dont need our, help if they wanted change they could do it themselves, right.

[edit on 27-8-2005 by C0le]

Originally posted by C0le
Remember souljah they dont need our, help if they wanted change they could do it themselves, right.

[edit on 27-8-2005 by C0le]

Have you asked that Young Girl on the Picture with an AK-47 Assault Rifle if she wants a Change?

Or that Boy aiming at you with a rifle?

C0le, don't you think that Children are our Future and they Deserve something more then Weapons?

You don't want to help anyone, Cole. At least have the nads to remain consistent with your personal policy and spare us the BS.

Thanks

On this topic: You'll find that many of these children are ordered to murder their own families. I cannot express how tragic that is. I fear that many of these kids would never get over something like that, even with the rescue programs that are taking place.

[edit on 27-8-2005 by cargo]

I am sorry to Inform you, but the West is directly responsible for the forming of the Third World Countires and their enormous Debt - from which come the endless Third World Wars. It is the Legacy of Colonialism, and I did not say the USA was the guilty one, but the WEST. The West who had colonized Africa, Asia, Middle East, just about everybody. And the effect we see today....

So, the Hutus and the Tootsies kill each other because of western countries? Are they competing for a McDonalds franchise?

Long before the western powers formed Africa was a dark continent, and minus the ubiquitous Egypt, still hasn't produced a sustainable technical society.

I realy dont give a crap about any of these 3rd world countries to be honest they are a savage land full of savage people who do not have my pitty, they have had thousands of years to evolve into something atleast human, but have yet to do so, they continue to allow themselves to be minipulated by anyone who has money, they fight and kill themselevs over things that we in civilized countries joke about over a nice peacefull debate, its actualy quite amusing.

Originally posted by Ray Davies
So, the Hutus and the Tootsies kill each other because of western countries? Are they competing for a McDonalds franchise?

Long before the western powers formed Africa was a dark continent, and minus the ubiquitous Egypt, still hasn't produced a sustainable technical society.

Apparently the first two Men that were born on this planet, according to the Bible, were brothers that killed each other. Nice way to start a book ey?

Anyway, do you know whats one of the most payed jobs in Africa today?

Being a Soldier, a Mercenary. And you are not payed by the hour, but by the number of people you kill.

So, why are there so many Wars in the Poorest continent on the Planet?

Hmmmmmmmmm....

Originally posted by Souljah
Apparently the first two Men that were born on this planet, according to the Bible, were brothers that killed each other. Nice way to start a book ey?

you are refering to cain and abel, and they did not kill each other, cain killed abel because he was jealous that his offering was not acceptable to God.

Originally posted by Souljah
And things are not getting any better for the people of Africa - times are just getting harder and harder.

My this child has big arms and hands? Just my observation.

Yes things are not getting any better for the people of Africa but many are suffering at the hands of their own people. We pour millions and millions in to Africa. The fight back has to come from within not from the outside.

Just my view.

Originally posted by C0le
I realy dont give a crap about any of these 3rd world countries to be honest they are a savage land full of savage people who do not have my pitty, they have had thousands of years to evolve into something atleast human, but have yet to do so, they continue to allow themselves to be minipulated by anyone who has money, they fight and kill themselevs over things that we in civilized countries joke about over a nice peacefull debate, its actualy quite amusing.

Funny, that sounds like greed, wait a second, capitalism is founded on greed, shock horror! the west is based on capitalism!

Guess we're all the same when you actually think about it.

[edit on 27-8-2005 by UK Wizard]

Originally posted by Ray Davies
So, the Hutus and the Tootsies kill each other because of western countries? Are they competing for a McDonalds franchise?

Your comments betray your true understanding of Africa and it's history, as a matter of fact the Tootsi and Hutu problem was an invention of the Belgian colonialist. So YES they do kill each other because of western countries.


It was Belgian colonialists who created the notions of two different races rather than castes. When the Belgians took over the colony in 1916 from the Germans, they felt that the colony would be better governed if they classified the different races in a hierarchical form. They felt that the Hutu were children who needed to be guided, and saw the Tutsi as the superior race. In fact they couldn't believe that the Tutsi were part of the African race at all. They thought that they had immigrated from somewhere else, or were survivors of the lost continent of Atlantis. This "invented" superiority by the Belgians sparked and increased hatred of the Tutsi by the Hutu, and led to many cultural conflicts, including the Tutsi Genocide
en.wikipedia.org...

Ironically, some African ethnic identities and divisions now portrayed as ancient and unchanging actually were created in the colonial period. In other cases earlier distinctions took new, more rigid and conflictual forms over the last century.
www.africaaction.org...

In this particular case the Belgians seperated people based on physical characteristics, and solidified the notion of a pre-existing caste system into an idea of race. After years of preferential treatment the peoples themselves even came to believe this idea. The Rwandan massacre which I am sure is the only reason you even know the term hutu and tootsie was a direct result of this Belgian creation.

To stay on topic somewhat and to illustrate my point that the west is directly responsible for many "third world" ills- How many of these weapons are produced in Africa? ALMOST NONE ! Most weapons that Africans have are second hand surplus weapons at least 25 years old. When the west re-arms itself the old scrap gets dumped in Africa. Sure everyone wants to say that we funnel millions into Africa in Aid, but we funnel BILLIONS in weapons. Why can we not have a reversal? Hmmmm let's see, do we want them to feed each other, or kill each other? These people are poor, hungry and armed because we want them to be... even the kids.
[edited to stay on point]



[edit on 27-8-2005 by phoenixhasrisin]

Originally posted by phoenixhasrisin
Your comments betray your true understanding of Africa and it's history, as a matter of fact the Tootsi and Hutu problem was an invention of the Belgian colonialist. So YES they do kill each other because of western countries.

It was Belgian colonialists who created the notions of two different races rather than castes. When the Belgians took over the colony in 1916 from the Germans, they felt that the colony would be better governed if they classified the different races in a hierarchical form.

Just once, do you think we might not blame western countries for all the ills of the world? Just once PLEASE. I get so tired so this. I am not saying that the west is blameless far from it, but for pete's sake they also do a lot of good but then you never hear about this do you. Also where do third world countries turn for help all the time - hello - yes the west.

Lets face it if the warring nations in Africa wanted to do something positive rather than just kill each other they could, but they chose not to do that. Hardly the fault of the west.

Its Al-Qaida's fault

Its the USA's fault

Its Belgiums fault

Its Slovenia's fault

Its the Muslims fault

Its the Christians fault

Its Oprahs fault


When is it going to be the Congo's fault?


(Although I am convinced Oprah has something to do with it...)

Is this not the stuff that was supposed to be gone from ATS? What do the two above posts have to do with the topic of the thread? Honestly what do either of you know of Africa other than what you are told on the 11 o clock news?

As a matter of fact everything I said was true, look it up if you do not believe me, honestly I could care less. The world we live in is not an accident, and is a direct result of European imperialism that continues to this day under the guise of corporate imperialism. That though is not the point of this thread.

Seriously, what are you two adding to this thread? What opinions have you given, what insight into the problem of Arms being soo pervasive in Africa that even the Children have them have you offered? These arms are coming from somewhere, right? Who's supplying them? Why are they supplying them? You two know soo much enlighten me please.

AS usual people who know nothing of the continent are opening up their mouths to defend their beloved west, ignoring the point of the thread and underlying roots of the problem. Nice job guys.

Oh wait, just when we thought the congo evolved in a vaccuum....wait, that's right it's the Belgians again, the very same who brought you the hutu tootsie massacres.

en.wikipedia.org...

Seriously people educate yourselves. There is a time and place for everything, including defending your beloved west. Unfortunately it is not when talking about arms proliferation.

[edit for spelling]

[edit on 30-8-2005 by phoenixhasrisin]

This is really a big problem but what to do with it? We can't get envolved? We can't send money? We simply can not take sides. The only thing, and probably the easiest would be to set up UN sites where women and children can go for saftey. There they could be helped to find lodges and refugee status in a neighbouring African area.

The remaining "soldiers" are now free to kill themself's for whatever it is they are doing it for there and in no time most will be wiped out and then the repopulation can occur with those refugee's getting first spots, and then let the leadership vaccum get filled up under the watchful eye of the UN...

BTW - That kids arms are slightly less proportioned to his body aren't they? Must be carrying around that rifle all day