Argumentative Essay On Child Soldiers

Each year, children across Africa and Asia become soldiers for a military force. They run wild through the landscape, gunfire clattering as they mindlessly destroy. Although they are only children, these actions are those of war criminals, and the issue of whether child soldiers should be granted amnesty has emerged. Many of these children volunteered for the fight and enjoy their power as a soldier. They see dangerous groups as their family. As a result, the U.N should hold these soldiers accountable for their actions and not grant them amnesty.
A major point of those advocating for the children to be granted amnesty is that they were forced into the job. However, a large amount of child soldiers voluntarily fight. As was stated in the article, “Child Soldiers”, many children join because they want to, “avenge the deaths of their family members.” While this is a reasonable motive, it doesn’t change the fact that they have committed war crimes in the process of avenging their family. A noble motive doesn’t allow them to break laws. The article also mentions that,”Furthermore, it would be false to proclaim that all child soldiers are forced into fighting. Some children join without being forcibly recruited.” This shows that many
The Upfront Magazine article,”Armed and Underage” highlights a certain child soldier named Awil. Awil was quoted as saying,”I enjoy the gun.” Awil was referring to the ten pound, government-issued gun that hangs on his shoulder strap, indicating his position as a Somali soldier. When a person sounds so gleeful about having a weapon and being able to commit crimes, it shows that the person is dangerous. If a child soldier kills a person, then is not prosecuted because they didn’t know the consequences, it is a denial of the victims justice. It is hard to believe that the soldiers needed to be saved for being a soldier when they enjoyed their actions so