Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate - Literature - Nairaland
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| Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Cuddlemii: 11:13pm On Nov 13, 2012 |
TOPIC OF DEBATE: Is the use of Child Soldiers, a good phenomenon or not? Should countries prosecute child soldiers for the crimes they commit during wartime? DATE: 24th of November, 2012 TIME: 6:30pm - 9:30pm (Nigerian Time) DEBATERS Rocktation Firestar Freecocoa Caracta Cowgurl Cdamsel Choicegirl Gree die Jallowbah ItsModella Greatgod2012 Kandiikane COORDINATOR: Cuddlemii PROJECT TEAM: Pharoh, Kpolli & Crazyman JUDGES: Jaybee, Oam4j, Maclatunji, Roland17, Sisi_kill, Tgirl4real VENUE: Literature/Writing Section, Nairaland This Is An Opportunity To Promote The Female Gender.... Please, Support & Encourage Them In This Battle of Wits You Miss It, You Miss Out! © CUDDLEMII 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt-eOs93mq8 |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Cuddlemii: 5:13am On Nov 24, 2012 |
DEBATE STRUCTURE -The debate will be segmented into different phases and we are hoping it should last for about three hours maximum or less. -The debaters will be selected from those who have indicated interest and they will be asked to prepare a compelling speech that either argues in support or against the resolution or topic. -The affirmative side argues in support of the resolution and tries to prove it correct. -The negative side argues against the resolution and tries to prove it incorrect. -The number of participants is not yet determined but we are hoping to have two each on both side of the argument and if we have more than two participants then the best two articles will be selected for the debate proper. -The debating resolution will be presented by the organizers and stated in the positive sense. -Exactly 6pm the debate thread will be opened. -We expect each participant to have composed his arguments before 6pm, so all the participants are to post their arguments between 6.00pm and 6.10pm *The chairman will signal the beginning of each stage *No member of the audience will be allowed to post between 6pm and 8:35pm *Any post from the audience will be hidden during this time -Each of the judges will mail or his/her scores of all the participants to the chairman who will collate the scores and post the final scores on the thread if we are going the elimination route or they can as well post it on the debate thread. -Only the selected candidates will proceed to the next round after the elimination phase. -We have created dummy accounts for all debaters. The debaters won't be debating with their handles/monikers but the ones that will be assigned to them by us. This handles will be sent to the debaters few minutes before the debate starts. -That way, the judges & the audience will vote based on the quality, credibility & standard of the write-ups/deliveries. This will also eliminate the issue of bias, favoritism, connections(man know man) & votes based on beauty/popularity. -After the debate is over(.i.e scores have been collated), the debaters will return as themselves and announce by themselves, the handle/moniker they used in debating. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Cuddlemii: 5:13am On Nov 24, 2012 |
DEBATE TIMELINE FOR CHILD SOLDIERS Phase: Time Allowance: Time Period The Constructive Phase - 10 min - 6:30 ---6:40 PM: The constructive phase will be the first action where each participants will paste their opening statements, arguments and closing remarks in one presentation of not more than 1000 words. The best speeches are moved to the debate proper if there are more than the required numbers of participants. Cross-Examination Phase - 5 min - 6:40 --- 6:45 PM: The next phase is the cross-examination phase where each participant will have a chance to question the other participants about the presented evidence in their speech if there is any. The participant will have the opportunity to clarify or remove this evidence if they cannot be adequately proven. The judges also can question all participants about the facts, data's and evidence in their presentations. Elimination Phase - 5 min - 6:45--- 6:50 PM: In this phase, Judges would indicate their choice of the presentation from the opposing side that should qualify to the main debate and send their choice to the judges email address. The chairman will announce the winner on the thread and the signal to start composing the questions will be given after that. Break - 10 min - 6:50---7:00 PM: This will be the time for a little break in order for both contestants to compose the questions for their opponent. Rebuttal Phase 1 - 40 min - 7:00 --- 7:40 PM: The rebuttals should be short, precise and must not contain any new arguments or points. The opposing side should post their question to the supporting side There will be two or more chances to rebut the statements made by the other side after the first reply and this same process is repeated when the other party are defending their own arguments. The chances can go on to exceed the limit stated above if the time for that phase has not been exhausted. Break - 10 mins - 7:40 ---7:50 PM: This will be another break for the judges to note down their scores of both contestants from the previous phase Rebuttal Phase 2 - 40 min - 7:50 ---8:30 PM: The rebuttals should be short, precise and must not contain any new arguments or points. The supporting side should at this stage throw their questions to the opposing side There will be two or more chances to rebut the statements made by the other side after the first reply The chances can go on to exceed the limit stated above if the time for that phase has not been exhausted. Break - 5 min - 8:30 --- 8:35 PM: Another break for the judges to note down their scores for the previous phase and compose some questions for the contestants if they have any. Judges Questions - 10 min - 8:35 ---8:45 PM: Judges would throw one or two questions to the contestants at this stage of the debate and the debaters would endeavor to answer all of it. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Cuddlemii: 5:27am On Nov 24, 2012 |
Break - 5 min - 8:45 ---8:50 PM: Break for judges to continue noting down their scores and for the contestants to start composing their final statements. Final statements - 5 min - 8:50---8:55 PM: Contestants would post their final statements on the debate thread at this time Judges Score - 10 min - 8:55---9:05 PM: The next phase will be for the judges to present their scores for each pair debate and give reasons for their scores. Audience Questions 25 min - 9:05 ---9:25 PM: We believe our audience might have a different position and at this point they will be given the chance to have a go at any debating participant to clarify their points or have a discussion with them concerning their arguments. Break - 5 mins: Audience would start composing their votes at this time. Audience Voting: Then the audience will make an open score for one pairing debate and give reasons for the given score. Only members of the audience who registered to Nairaland pre 2011 will have a valid vote, so this means that you must have registered to Nairaland as from 2010 going backward. Break: This period will be used to collate the valid votes. Audience Score: The organizers will collate the scores and announce the final audience choice; this process should last for some minutes or hours and probably the next day (voting). General Reflection: The thread is then thrown open for the general public to discuss and give feedback about the whole process. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Cuddlemii: 5:28am On Nov 24, 2012 |
For the debate planning process, rules, structure, phases, judging guidelines, discussions etc, Go on here https://www.nairaland.com/1106641/nairalands-literary-debating-day-female |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Cuddlemii: 9:55am On Nov 24, 2012 |
Welcome to Nairaland’s Literary & Debating Day – Female Edition! Thank you for coming today to support this cause, it's great to have you all here. My name is Cuddlemii and I am the coordinator of this debate. The purpose of this debate is to contribute to the learning experience of Nairaland members / Viewers, Guests and to explore the Use of Child Soldiers and its effects. I know you're all keen to get started but, before we do, I’ve been asked to make a quick announcement. Please, members of the audience should not comment till they are advised to. Please, follow the instructions & signals from the officials at all times. Thanks for your cooperation. So now, ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to declare this impactful debate well and truly open – Do relax and enjoy yourselves. Good evening! 2 Likes |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by CrazyMan(m): 6:35pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
The debate is officially open. . .you can now post your opening arguments. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Cleopatra1: 6:36pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
The global humanitarian discourse on child soldiers tends to portray children as vulnerable victims, ignoring their agency and locates them in the totalising contexts of chaos and barbaric wars. While this may be justified in some contents, overall, this picture is largely misleading. I argue in Support of the Phenomenon of Child Soldiers, as I stand to convince you that taking up arms can be a sensible choice and an attractive option, even – and especially – for the young. Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. In the global policy discourse, a ‘child soldier’ is commonly defined as ‘any person under 18 years of age, who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to cooks, porters, messengers, and those accompanying such groups, other than purely as family members’ (Cape Town Principles). Going by this 'global' definition, one would imagine that the descriptions of a child soldier and the person under 18 years of age (the child), conform to the definitions of a 'child' and 'child soldiers', in all cultural contexts. However, it does not. Child Soldiers may well be groups of stone-throwing adolescents engaged in 'liberation struggles' (Wessells 2002). The definition of a child in Liberal viewpoint, which dominates the western developed world, is largely reflected in the definition of a child soldier in the global discourse. Liberal thought holds that chronological age puts a demarcation between childhood and adulthood, most commonly at 18 years. In line with this, Liberal opinion of children is that they are innocent, weak and in need of protection, rather than being agents of their own and significant contributors to social and political life. Again, it is worthy of note that this currently predominant perception of children as vulnerable and innocent, entered our mindsets only in the seventeenth century when it was pioneered by Rousseau (Twum-Danso 2005; Honwana 2006). Thus, rather than being a natural category, ‘the child’ is a “socially constructed idealization that reflects the values and agendas of particular researchers, cultures, and traditions” at a given point in time (Wessells1998: 640). Although, these definitions are well-intentioned for the protection of the category, it does no much good for their vulnerabilities, as it is best suited for societies that are politically stable, prosperous and offer life long expectancies. The definitions of a child differ in the South, as persons under 18 may well be considered adults and ready for marriage, and to provide for their family/communities, or indeed to fight. Cultural rites passage, can be a transition to adulthood in some African societies, and in others, childhood, adolescence and youth may not even be regarded as seperate stages of life. What matters, rather than children’s age is often their size (Wessells 2002). That definitions matter is evidenced by the fact that they can be decisive in determining punishment, including death, as Children have never been excluded from wars, both as victims and as combatants. It goes without saying that while participating in war, children may be wounded, raped, maimed, emotionally scarred, stigmatized, deprived of education, and “wrapped in warrior identities that make it difficult to re-enter civilian life” (Wessells 2002: 248). However, such harmful effects must not be taken as absolute, but have to be judged against the wounding, raping, maiming, emotional scarring, and deprivation of education of civilian children. It seems to be a common fallacy to be comparing children in peaceful and prosperous societies to those trying to survive in war-torn ones and conclude from this, that soldiering is entirely negative and thus, undesirable, for children. War, with its multiplier effect, often creates new social, economic, and political systems and relations, and compels people to constantly negotiate, adapt, and strategise their options and relationships, however difficult their circumstances might be. Comparing children in the same socio-political and economic conflict zones, has shown over time, that child soldiers are better off than their civilian counterparts in terms of health, material wealth, education and more. And some of the Benefits/Positives of becoming a child recruit may include; 1. Character Shapening: It is no news that many societies create situations for children, to promote their development by teaching them to embrace discomfort as opportunity rather than turning it into adversity. Evidence of this practice is seen in Sierra Leonean children, who are raised as active socio- economic agents from an early age and are taught the value of hard work and discipline. So this socio-cultural context of child labour most likely influences recruitment during war, as children would still want to develop themselves, and were regarded in Sierra Leone as necessary ‘peripheral participants’ who perform various types of ‘domestic’ labour for the military community (Ferme 2001; Francis 2007; Shepler 2005). For instance, since work such as fetching water or doing laundry has been locally established as ‘children’s work’, the rebels and government armies alike, recruited children to undertake these tasks. Likewise, the work of ‘spying’ fitted into the pattern of child labour within the peacetime practice of running adults’ errands. Even though some did participate in military activities, they did so ‘within a system in which it made sense for children to be part of adult activity’ (Shepler 2005:88). Shepler found that the majority of the younger ‘child soldier’ population in Sierra Leone, spent their war years performing this type of ‘children’s work’ (as cooks, porters, cleaners, messengers, spies, etc.) and regarded these activities as nothing special or abhorrent within their local contexts. In this regard, the local meanings of what is identified as ‘child soldiering’ were different from the meanings ascribed in the global discourse. 2. Getting a Family and avoiding the feeling of exclusion ( via fosterage and patronage): Military leaders were portrayed as father figures, and this provided motivation and comfort to young recruits. It also proved to be very effective with young fighters who despite having to cope with a wide range of deprivations and hardship, identified their worst suffering as being separated from their families and far from home (Schafer 2004). Also, this identification of fighting forces as family, has two other noteworthy effects: Firstly, it allowed ex-combatants from both sides of the conflict, to be reconciled with their former opponents as “brothers and sisters” and disavow responsibility for their actions, thus fostering peace building and reintegration. Secondly, patriarchal imagery was used within Renamo to portray relationships between male and female soldiers as incest, thereby limiting sexual violence against female combatants (Schafer 2004)...an edge over the unprotected civilian females. Also, many communities and children saw military recruitment as a type of fosterage and patronage as it also made sense for orphaned and displaced children, particularly girls, to find a patron during the war for basic necessities as well as social protection (Stovel 2006: 132) (Shepler's, 2005). As a result, despite the often gruesome experiences they underwent during the war, demobilised child soldiers often maintained a bond with their commanders and went back to their commanders to ask for assistance. Girls in particular usually sought to stay with strong ‘husband’ patrons (Utas 2004). 3. Getting an Education/ Acquisition of skills: War leads to the closure of schools, but some armed groups, such as the RUF, offered free bush-schools in their camps during the conflict (Peters 2004). Besides, military recruitment of children can be construed as a form of apprenticeship in the context of war. While the global humanitarian discourse assumes school education as a part of a ‘normal childhood’, schooling is just one (and the most elite) form of education in some communities (Ibid.) as Paul Richards (1996) explains, based on his field research: "In a patrimonial polity, where clientelism is a major means through which intergenerational transfers of knowledge and assets are achieved, young are always on the look out for new sources of patronage. Where they joined the rebels with any degree of enthusiasm, it was to see training. The arts of war are better than no arts at all. The army was simply seen as a new form of schooling" . 4. Empowerment in Youths (and curbing the abuse of power); In line with the hopes of the humanitarian agencies, many young project participants do express their conviction that they can positively contribute to the development of their community. Indeed, far from being coerced and brainwashed to fight in a barbaric war, many children and adolescents consciously think about how they can empower their communities and seem to regard political and military engagement as a legitimate means to address their grievances...especially in societies where there are more under 18's than there are 'adults', and thus cheated by community elders, resulting from their exclusion to vote. 5. Attaining adulthood and Social Status; The definition of adulthood attainment in many societies, is in social terms—through fulfilling social responsibilities and attaining economic independence (Shepler 2005: 80-3; Tefferi 2007; James and Prout 1997). In the state of conflict, the transition to social adulthood becomes increasingly difficult for civilians...as the economic downturn will leave young people with no reliable means of income, thus bring about the prospect of perpetual delay of their social transition to adulthood and adult dignity(Twum-Danso 2004: 18-9). In such situations, any kind of association with the military would be in order for basic necessities (food, free health and transport services...e.t.c), and possibly a spot, in the national elite space. It is intrinsic to see as beneficial, what is relatively more likely to ensure children’s survival in a given situation and helps fulfill their basic needs in the short-term, as opposed to adhering to certain moral or ethical standards. This is not unmarked for high importance, as survival is a necessary condition for concerning oneself with morals and ethics in the longer-term. Should Child Soldiers Be Punished? Now, going by the established fact that the definition of childhood, does not cut across all cultural contexts, it is only understandable that many people like the Sierra Leoneans, feel such abdication of the criminal responsibility of child soldiers, dissatisfying. Given their understanding of adolescents as ‘young adults’, with rights and responsibilities as well as the historical participation of youth in political violence, it is a foreign concept that anyone under the age of 18 is an innocent child and thus must be forgiven and provided with socio-economic resources for rehabilitation and reintegration. Besides, the concept of children's agency which refers to their active engagement with the world and their own efforts to cope with adversity is often not understood and ignored. This paralyzes all attempts to account for the unintended consequences of humanitarian programmes to assist ‘child soldiers’ at the local level. Understanding that the young, consciously devise means to evade their adverse life situations...even if they entail grievous risks or lead to committing crimes that hurt other people, is enough reason for them to be accountable for their actions. Making all child soldiers' culpability subject to presumptions of innocence and victimhood, is unfair to those who have suffered in the hands of the perpetrators...Clearly, attitudes to the young who fight against oppression and for liberation differ profoundly from attitudes to the youngs, who kill and maim as members of warring groups.. I say, that children's involvement in violence should be viewed and judged in ways that are contingent on the nature, length and ferocity of the conflict, the choice or lack of choice the young had in participating, the actions they carried out, and the consequences for members of the family. Punishments should be given, but lower than those for "adults". Thank you. 12 Likes |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by QueenAmina1(f): 6:40pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
It is an honour to be present this evening before the Nairaland Forum to argue against the use of Child Soldiers being a good phenomenon. The word “infantry” has taken a whole new meaning when it comes to children. A play on words if you like, but the issue behind the scenes are just as grave. When the term “Child Soldier” springs up, what image comes to mind? A victim of war probably coerced or forced to fight wars trained to slay, maim, violate, interrogate and kill perhaps? Is it an image of a miniature soldier, a boy with a grim determination to follow orders in the field by his superiors, a girl subtly doing likewise with her body infiltrating opposing ranks, a child achieving what an older contemporary in the same line of work does differing in age….In morals? How does this statistic appeal to you? ‘ “The world’s armies include about 200,000 youths, some as young as 12 years of age,” states The New York Times. These findings are contained in a report from a subcommission of the UN Human Rights Commission. Some of the youths have been forcibly conscripted by their governments, while others have been urged by their parents to enlist in order to gain jobs and food, and for the family to receive payment if the child dies in battle. Thus, a number of countries have violated the international law that stipulates 15 years of age as the minimum for recruitment into the armed forces.’- Awake! Choice. Did the child have it? Was it the child’s heartfelt wish to spend childhood on the battle field? A rather disconcerting way of fighting battles, is using a child natural tendency to elders and would follow orders in ways an adult won’t. Using children this way, how does appeal to you personally? Permit me to hit close to home… Will you as a concerned individual, allow your underage ward to be a Child Soldier if you can help it? Would ‘Over my dead body’, perhaps be your reaction or something quite similar? You may or may not be aware of this occurrence, but places where the abominable practice of the use of children are being used; the answer is chilling: Precisely. So, what makes the ugly use of the ‘boy- soldier ’ or ‘girl-warrior’ so appealing? -For one, children are naturally overlooked and are seen as innocent. With naivety comes unquestionable loyalty. They also act like sponges…they absorb. “Kids don’t have a doctrine or ideology. They are merely sucked up by one side or another and put to work.”-Social anthropologist Brian Milne -In past times, it was quite unlikely for a child who lacked experience to face an adult in combat that being painfully obvious. In modern times however, weapons are becoming lightweight. A weapon such as an assault rifle—a Soviet-made AK-47 or an American-made M16 can be easily assembled by a mere child. -They are cheap and expendable. A basic need for children is to be loved and acknowledged. Recruiters prey on that and make the training environment appealing enough to keep them there by instilling in them a sense of duty. And what does this child do? He follows it, even if the order is walking into a minefield. “What is clear, from Iran, when young boys were sent across the minefields is that boys are more malleable, cheaper and can be wound up to pitches of emotional fervor for long periods in the way no adult soldiers can be,” said The Times There have been reports where underage children out of a quest for adventure, are seduced into joining the ranks to protect their family. For others, they were made to sever ties by killing their own relatives. The use of child soldiers should be rooted from its cause and what are steps used to eliminate its practice. It’s a trend rearing its monstrous head in nations where civil unrest abounds and of others whilst in peace-time, continue recruiting underage combatants in proxy conflicts. “In Chad child soldier use by armed forces and non-state armed groups has been extensive. From 2006, large numbers of children were recruited into the Chadian army to fight against armed opposition groups. The latter also recruited girls and boys extensively and used them to fight in hostilities. In addition, during the Chad-Sudan proxy war (2005-2010), the Chadian government supported Sudanese armed groups recruiting children on its territory.”- http://www.child-soldiers.org/country_reader.php?id=2 Nevertheless, why using children? An observation from a military observer states, “Since [children] don’t seem to share the same understanding of death as older soldiers, they are less likely to surrender in hopeless situations.” There have been measures taken by international bodies to resolve such issues of civil unrest and of others, to put pressure on to increase the age of the voluntary recruitment requirement: “The United Kingdom is one of a group of fewer than 20 states which have a minimum voluntary recruitment age of 16 years. As such, it is out of step with the prevailing trend towards a global ban on the recruitment of anyone below 18 years of age. According to British government policy under-18s in the British armed forces are prohibited from participation in armed conflict, but this policy can be overruled if there is a “genuine” military need or if it is otherwise impracticable to withdraw minors before deployment. Its systems for tracking personnel to ensure that under-18s are not deployed has reduced, but not entirely stopped, soldiers from being inadvertently deployed to operation theatres before they turn 18, and the UK has repeatedly exposed children to the risk of participation in hostilities” It is heartening to know that pressure groups as well as public opinion are adding weight to countries embroiled in it. And it seems that results are hopeful. For former child soldiers, there is a light at the end of the tunnel where eventually, conscripting children as an expression of adult violence will be outdated and children being free. Thank you. 2 Likes |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by QueenVictoria1: 6:41pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Good Evening Panel of Judges, Co-Debaters, and Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen. I am here to argue against the motion that child soldiers is a good phenomenon. Sierra Leone, Liberia, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Uganda. The one thing these countries have in common aside from the fact that they are African nations is their military use of children in direct combat. A child soldier is one under the age of 18 who is enlisted to fight in the wars of his country. Today, there are over 300, 000 children involved in more than 30 conflicts worldwide. They are used as combatants, messengers, spies and porters. A child is more likely to become a child soldier if he is separated from his family, lives in a war zone and needs food and protection for survival. While some are forced into war, some volunteer to take part in it and give an imprudent reason like revenge or defense of the country Either ways, they proceed to war without fully understanding the dangers and abuses, both physical and psychological that they will be subjected to. Children’s limited ability to evaluate risks and their feeling of bravery and determination that of course comes with every teenager makes them more vulnerable to recruitment as the military commanders will view them as obedient and malleable; it is easier to indoctrinate them. War has numerous effects on child soldiers. In addition to physical scars and injuries, survivors of wars and conflicts may develop mental or psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, low self esteem, loss of trust, suicidal behavior, social withdrawal, hostility, aggression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Studies have shown that not only is PTSD the most prevalent disorder among child soldiers, children who killed or injured another person exhibited more aggressive behavior years after the war. This particularly should raise a concern because it shows that these children become less open to reconciliation and develop a strong feeling of revenge and this can hinder recovery and lead to future conflicts. For this reason, I am of the opinion that wars are made for adults who can make moral judgments on what is good and what is bad. Children are less capable of making mature judgments than adults. They have less sophisticated thinking and are yet to develop a sense of self. It is easier at that point in their lives to mould them into a desired personality as they are more likely to give into pressure. It is important that laws be put into place to regulate and control the military use of children. Some elements are already in place, for example, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This was put into force in 2002 and it ensures that children under the age of 18 are not involved in any hostility as well as requiring states to move the minimum age of recruitment to 18 as opposed to the previous age of 15. Perpetrators have to be made accountable for their crimes and there should be stiff penalties for anybody who goes against that law. Child soldiers despite their youth and loss of childhood, commit horrific crimes. Opinions are divided on whether they should be prosecuted for their crimes or not and that I believe is the central question to this debate. Should countries prosecute child soldiers for the crimes they committed during war? I am of the opinion that they should not. Many of them were forced into circumstances, against their will, which shaped them in their formative years. They should not be punished but rather loved. They should be given necessary care and attention in order to make them realize the errors of their ways and integrate into a peaceful society. My opponents may try to point out, rightly so, that not prosecuting child soldiers denies victims their right to justice. There are also mitigating factors that should be considered when evaluating their criminal responsibilities; factors such as coercion, mental incapacity and duress. These are valid defenses for child soldiers and for these reasons, they should not be convicted. We must remember that child soldiers are children and nothing erases that fact. Hence, they should be considered as such. Prison is never the right place for such children, particularly when they did not have the opportunity to choose their path in life. Many of them end up brainwashed and sending them to prison further strengthens their feelings of hatred. If at all they must be punished, let the focus be on reconciliation and rehabilitation programs that will help undo the mindset that was inculcated in them rather than locking them up. Thank you. Reference: UNICEF Factsheet: Child Soldiers 3 Likes |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by CrazyMan(m): 6:49pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Judges please after you must have reviewed the arguments, send the better presentation to the moderator (cuddlemii). Thanks. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Cuddlemii: 7:01pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Please, Judges we are waiting for your scores. Email it to the nairaland judges email. Thanks |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 7:16pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Thanks to our judges for their choice in relation to the two opposing presenters. Queen Victoria is the choice of the judges to battle it out with cleopatra1. So following the timeline now, please can cleopatra1 and queen victoria ask each other about clarifications of their presentation but if not then just state it here now that there is no need for clarification. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 7:21pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
The organizers expresses their gratitude to Queen Amina for a wonderful presentation and she should stick around because the audience will be throwing questions at her during the audience questions interval. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by QueenVictoria1: 7:27pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
There is no need for clarification. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 7:27pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Announcement! Okay we are moving to the next phase and its time for Queen Victoria to post her questions to Cleopatra1 so please do it now thanks. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 7:29pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Queen Victoria - Please you have forty minutes ( 40 mins ) to question Cleopatra 1 and probe her to water down all her arguments or points raised in her presentation. The floor is open for you now so go ahead. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 7:32pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Cleopatra1 - Please watch and refresh this main debate thread so you can see the questions thrown at you, answer them and wait for more probing from your opponent. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 7:35pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Queen Victoria - We are waiting for your questions, make them short and precise, you can also number them or separate them in quotes thanks. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by QueenVictoria1: 7:45pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Character Shapening:Are you saying that the local meaning of child soldiering is more correct than the global meaning? If yes, why do you think so? Getting a Family and avoiding the feeling of exclusion ( via fosterage and patronage):How so? In what ways do the child soldiers feel more comfort in war camps? Getting an Education/ Acquisition of skillsWhat sort of skills do they acquire? |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 7:48pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Thank you Queen Victoria for your questions, please can Cleopatra1 answer the questions above now thanks. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 7:53pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
We are waiting for your replies Cleopatra1 to the questions thrown at you thanks. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 8:02pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Announcement! Queen Amina, You can join the debate and question Cleopatra1 as we just altered the structure to reverse the elimination phase. Please feel free to do so but if you don't want to then you can wait until the audience period to answer their questions. 2 Likes |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 8:04pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Please Cleopatra1, we are still waiting for you to answer the three questions thrown at you on this thread so that we can move to the next phase thanks. |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Cleopatra1: 8:22pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Queen Victoria: Ex-combatants had testified to have learned to conduct business, and their war-network made up most of their social ties. Thus the brick-making gild in Ganta consisted mostly of ex-combatants who were applying the organizing skills they had gained through military activity. And in many cases, their former commanders worked as their contractors or brokers. (Utas, 2005) |
| Re: Is The Use Of Child Soldiers, A Good Phenomenon Or Not - Nigerian Online Debate by Pharoh: 8:31pm On Nov 24, 2012 |
Announcement! We are taking a 10 minutes break and should be back by 8:40pm Nigerian time to adjust the logistics. We just got an email from one of our contestants and at this point we implore Queen Amina and Cleopatra1 to check their emails now please. We will be back soon and thanks to everyone for making this date with us. |
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