By Dr Andrew Mohanraj
The Trauma & Mental Health report released by York University, Canada reveals that in the past decade, eighteen million children are being raised in the chaos of war. Over 2 million children have been killed, 6 million have been disabled, 20 million are homeless, and more than 1 million have become separated from their parents .Many children have watched in horror as their homes and schools are destroyed and have witnessed the death of their loved ones and many have lied through situations where they believed they would themselves be killed.
The psychological damage makes it difficult to function, to be successful in school, to have relationships with friends and family. Children having had more years exposed to violent conflict, struggle to recover from years of compounding traumas and reveal pervasive feelings of depression, anxiety, hopelessness, grief, resentment and anger.When they become adults they show poor ‘coping skills” where they find difficulty in tackling daily situations. As young adults they show a propensity to abuse alcohol and illegal substances. Their personalities too can be impaired in the sense they are unable to form trusting relationships and show irritability over trivial matters. They constantly live in fear, have low self-esteem and bear hatred or entertain revenge and show tendency towards violence.
With conflicts and resulting displacements, there tends to be an increase in instances of child abuse and neglect of children. Sanctions imposed by bigger nations over “recalcitrant” countries causes’ food insecurity and lack of medical supplies which significantly affect children. Lack of nutrients result in generations of stunted and malnourished children. One need not kill or maim children to achieve the destruction of a people. Slowly, starving out children can quite easily achieve the same end. Even children who are not born yet may suffer. Radioactive materials in bombs may cause birth defects and abnormalities for years to come. Toxins and teratogens in weaponry used can have shown to result in birth defects and premature births.
Despite media attention, and international outcry and condemnation, children continue to be the silent victims of wars declared with impunity. That is why, it was refreshing to note that a few weeks ago in Kuala Lumpur, we witnessed an International forum entitled “Engaging the Young to Criminalise War and Energise Peace” officiated by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyuddin Yassin himself. Notable was the active participation of children from premier schools in the country and university students including students who came from abroad. The passion displayed by students in opposing wars was inspiring to the adults present. In straight forward, “un sugar coated “language they expressed their anguish over the futility and indeed stupidity of wars. One student, Puteri Fateh Arina Merican kept the audience spellbound and overwhelmed when she recited her poem. “3 Birds”, an ode to those who went missing or perished in the three Malaysia related air tragedies. In one stanza in reference to the ill fated flight MH17 she laments:
“ The second ( bird) died of murder ,
with wings rent asunder,
by an unknown hunter ;
Was it downed by enemy fire ,
or was it just a friendly blunder ?”
Clearly there was hope in the children at the conference. They proved that only a child can truly understand the pain of war on another child when it seems invisible to the adults of this world. By our silence, we adults implicitly allow wars to undermine the very foundations of our children’s lives, maiming their bodies and stealing their spirit.
Dr. Andrew Mohanraj 