Poverty drives children to work for armed groups

[Barrett808]

Source: IRIN

BAGHDAD, 10 May 2007 (IRIN) - Eleven-year-old Seif Abdul-Rafiz and his two brothers were left with no choice but to leave school and work so as to help their unemployed parents make ends meet.

Unable to find a job, Seif resorted to making bombs for Sunni insurgents who are fighting US troops in Iraq.

"We work about eight hours a day and are supervised by two men. They give us food and at the end of the day we get paid for our work. Sometimes we get US $7 and sometimes we get $10, depending on how many bombs we make," Abdul-Rafiz said.

"The bombs are used to fight American soldiers. I was really afraid in the beginning but then my parents told me that it was for two good causes: the first is to help our family eat; and the second is to fight occupation forces," he added.

Thousands of poor children in Iraq are forced to work to help their families. Many of them work in one way or another for a variety of armed groups that operate in the war-torn country.

"If I had choice, I would have preferred to be in a classroom but we need to eat. In the beginning, they were very kind with us but later they started to threaten us, saying that if we leave our work they would kill our family," Abdul-Rafiz said. ... My mother cries every day we go out to make bombs but my dad prays for us and tells us to go because he cannot find a job. And the insurgents don't let him work with them because he was injured in an attack a year ago and they consider him useless," he said.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/556062bd519ff94e4862eee1af054ce7.htm

[MADem]

1. The same thing happens here--the go into delayed entry at 17, ship out at 18, and are dead by 20

Before they can legally order a beer in the baaaaah.....

Sure, they're older children, but they're still kids.

War sucks.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Yep, we have an economic draft. nt

[seriousstan]

3. Lazy asshat parents couldn't find a job but they let their kids do this for money.

[file83]

5. Unemployment rates have recently been estimated as high as 60% in Iraq

so...I'm sure families are struggling very hard to make ends meet. If your kid can make some money to help feed the family, I'm sure you'd let him.

[seriousstan]

8. I would not let my child take a dangerous job I am too lazy to take myself.

[LeftishBrit]

9. Not always that simple

I don't know the economics in this particular case; but in countries where child labour is permitted, sometimes employers *choose* to employ children rather than adults, because they think they'll be easier to exploit.

Moreover, some of these children may not *have* parents.

[seriousstan]

10. "if we leave our work they would kill our family" I think that sums it up.

Criminals threatening children and their families, NICE!

[otherlander]

4. K&R

[cigsandcoffee]

6. What kind of scumbags would have children make bombs?

It sounds like there are plenty of willing adults among the poor in Iraq. Why use children?

[knight_of_the_star]

11. Because they can make kids sit down, shut up, and do it

And can underpay them without fear of there being problems with the arrangement.

[LeftishBrit]

7. That's just so sad...

Damn the evil people who do this to hell, from the insurgents who exploit children for such a purpose, to the American and British warmongers who brought Iraq to a state where such things can happen.

Bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq, indeed.