Persuasive Essay on Child Soldiers Should Be Granted Amnesty

Imagine being a child soldier. Being forced to take drugs and kill innocent people. This is how many children are being treated across the world. These innocent children being forced to make decisions that they can’t take back. But if they don’t do what they are told they are punished or even worse, killed. It’s kill or be killed.This is why I think that child soldiers should be granted amnesty.

These children are forced to join the army and many are as young as 12 years old. They are taught from a very young age that it is ok to kill innocent people. These young children are underage and don't know any better. More evidence leading me to believe that child soldiers should be given amnesty is from the article “Armed and Underage” This article says, “But 12-year-old Awil is different in two ways: He is shouldering an automatic, fully loaded rifle; and he is working for a military that is substantially armed and financed by the United States.” This shows me that the 12 year old is being forced to own and use a weapon and he does not know what his weapon can do to people. It can tear them apart. 

More evidence leading me to believe that child soldiers should be given amnesty is from the article “Armed and Underage” This article says “human-rights experts estimate that more than 200,000 children worldwide are still being used as combatants, usually against their will.” This shows me that even though the numbers are going down, there are still many people being held against their will, in the army. Kids, espicially kids under at least 14, should never, ever, have to be forced to be drugged, and kill people. 

There are some exceptions for why child soldiers should not get amnesty but that does apply for all child soldiers The last piece of evidence leading me to believe that child soldiers should be given amnesty is from the debate summary, “Should child soldiers be prosecuted for war crimes?” This debate says “Most children are forcibly recruited and even when they enlist they may not have thought carefully about their decision or made an informed choice” This shows me that even though some child soldiers do choose to join, they are underage and cannot completely and throughly think about their decision because they are taught that it is ok. 

These child soldiers do their very best to try and make good decisions, though it doesn’t always work out quite how they would want it to. Child soldiers are victims of crimes that can never be forgiven. They are forced against their will to kill people and make other mistakes that are never ok, not even as an adult. All of this evidence leads me to believe that child soldiers should be given amnesty.