Consequences of War and Violence

As a child growing up in Sri Lanka, I was exposed to continued violence due to the civil war that the country was involved in at that time. My family and I lived in the capital of the country, far away from the actual war zone. However, the capital was a prime target for terror attacks, political leaders being the main target. I have lost count of the number of suicide bomb attacks that occurred during that time; bus bombs, train bombs and locations where masses would gather. There were time periods when schools remained closed for months for safety reasons and we had to be home schooled by our parents. I couldn’t see my friends. Who would be the next target, when and where another bombing would occur was the question on everyone’s mind. There were many we heard of who lost their lives because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I feel blessed and fortunate that my family and I were never harmed. The attacks really hit close to home when my school was affected due to an attack on a nearby government office. No children were harmed but it damaged several school buildings. It didn’t take long for these ‘incidents’ to become a normal part of our lives. Security checks wherever we went, even in schools became routine. Each time an ‘incident’ happened the country often imposed a curfew, schools closed, roads were blocked off and transportation came to a standstill. The newspapers were covered with gruesome pictures as was the news on the TV. The causalities became just numbers.

                Looking back, I’m not sure what went on in mind as a child in the midst of everything that was happening around me. Whatever happened, I knew that home was always the safest place to be away from the violence. I prayed every day that my loved ones and I would be able to make it back home safe every day from school and work.  None of the violence we witnessed was ever discussed with us by our parents or teachers. The culture was such that adults did not see the importance or the need to discuss many issues with children. There was no real effort to shield us from it but then again that was probably an impossible thing to do. The adults had their own worries about the situation. There were no systems in place to help children understand and cope.  The father of a fellow schoolmate who was running for president was the target of an attack and lost his life several days before the election. I can’t imagine what she went through and how she would have coped with it all. I don’t really remember even discussing these events with my friends. Maybe the fact that we were all in the same situation made it okay. We just didn’t know anything different. As a child I just couldn’t understand why people would act out so violently against each other. Sadly, after witnessing everything I did, I feel that I just became immune to the violence. My husband, who as a seven year old unfortunately witnessed people being burned alive during one of the most violent periods, agrees.   I think through it all, faith kept us going and faith kept us safe. 

None of what I experienced comes anywhere close to what many children in different parts of the world face each day. The children of Sudan, the largest African nation, face challenges to survive each day. Children live under the threat of violence, the possibility of being exploited or abused as a result of ongoing violence. They face shortages of food and water. 31% of the children are underweight and only 58% of the population has access to clean water. Children have little or no access to healthcare and education with girls averaging about 6 years in school. Sudan has one of highest infant mortality rates (56 per 1000 children) and one of the lowest life expectancies in the world (61 years) (Save the Children, 2012). 

Save the Children is one of many organizations that have implemented programs in Sudan to address the many concerns in that region affecting children and families. Some of their work includes immunization programs for children and expectant mothers, creating access to proper sanitary facilities and safe drinking water, distribution of food and non-food items, creating access to education through construction of schools, teacher training and access to school supplies. Another important area of that work includes reintegration of separated children; the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers; and support for communities affected by violence (Save the children, 2012).

References

Save the children (2012). Sudan. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6150471/k.CAAA/Sudan.htm#sources