CHILDREN AND THE WAR IN SYRIA by Cecilia Brainard
Children in a war is a topic close to my heart. My first novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, is a coming-of-age story about a young girl, Yvonne, during World War II. While writing it, even though I was born after the war, it was as if I too had experienced some of the awfulness of that armed conflict. Of course that was fiction.
Right now millions of children are suffering because of the Syrian war. I'm quoting from London-based SAVE THE CHILDREN'S Report, "UNTOLD ATROCITIES: THE STORIES OF SYRIA'S CHILDREN." Save the Children had interviewed children and parents in the refugee camps and communities that are now home to those who have fled the violence in Syria.
The children in Syria need help. They need help because they are being tortured, shelled, shot at. They take children and put them in front of them. They create a human shield of children. They know that people in the town will not shoot their own children. I saw this with my own eyes.
I apologize for such a grim blog entry, but I've been thinking about this war and other wars, and how civilians are the ones who suffer most. War leaves behind destruction that takes decades to repair. And the deaths of course are permanent scars to those left behind.
Children in a war is a topic close to my heart. My first novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, is a coming-of-age story about a young girl, Yvonne, during World War II. While writing it, even though I was born after the war, it was as if I too had experienced some of the awfulness of that armed conflict. Of course that was fiction.
Right now millions of children are suffering because of the Syrian war. I'm quoting from London-based SAVE THE CHILDREN'S Report, "UNTOLD ATROCITIES: THE STORIES OF SYRIA'S CHILDREN." Save the Children had interviewed children and parents in the refugee camps and communities that are now home to those who have fled the violence in Syria.
Save the Children
1 St. John’s Lane
London ECIM 4AR
Click to view the complete report "Untold Atrocities..."
Click to view the complete report "Untold Atrocities..."
This following is 14-year-old Hassan’s story:
I was at a funeral when I first heard the rocket
that caused a massacre. I think it was targeting the funeral. My cousin and my
uncle died that day.
Dead bodies along with injured people were scattered
on the ground. I found body parts all over each other; and when we reached the
mosque we found tens and tens of dead bodies there. We started to rescue people
in need.
Dogs were eating the dead bodies for two days after
the massacre. There were tons of people in the mosque too. They were dead, all
of them. I was afraid, of course I was afraid.
I was devastated. I hated my life, and I hated
myself. I lost my uncle and my cousin, Me and my cousin used to do everything
together, and I lost him – my cousin used to stand always by my side.
My house was burnt down. Everything was gone. I
wanted to run in, but I couldn’t – it was still too hot. I looked around and
everyone was so devastated, no-one could look at each other.
The children in Syria need help. They need help because they are being tortured, shelled, shot at. They take children and put them in front of them. They create a human shield of children. They know that people in the town will not shoot their own children. I saw this with my own eyes.
I want children of Syria to escape. They should run
away so they don’t die in the shelling.
What do I remember of Syria? I remember that
whenever shelling took place we ran to a shelter. Inside, children shouted and
wept a lot, they were so afraid. I remember so many children were being
tortured.
Because of what is happening in Syria we don’t play anymore.
I miss my home. I miss my neighbourhood. I miss playing football.
I ask the leaders all around the world to save the
children in Syria, save them from all the shelling. Children need medicine. We need
clothes, and food. Every child should play and be happy. I am worried about the
future. What will happen to us? Where will we go?
~~
It is painful to look at these pictures of massacred children, but maybe we all should, so we realize just how much these children are impacted by the war in Syria.(photos courtesy of The Syrian Revolution 2011)
~~~~
Here are links regarding Children and the Syrian War
Reuters - Syrian War imperils education of 2.5 million children: aid agency
Read also my other blog entries about the Syrian War:
Read also my other blog entries about the Syrian War:
- Muslims Condemn ISIS
- Syrians fleeing war at rate not seen since Rwandan Genocide
- Syrian Revolutionary Poem & Destruction of Khalid bin Walid Mosque
- Children and the War in Syria
- The Rape of Women and the War in Syria
- Writers and the War in Syria
- Poet and Song Writer, Ibrahim Qashoush, Victim of Syrian War
- Jesuit Priest, Paolo Dall'Oglio - Another Casualty of Syrian War
- Two Organizations helping the Children of Syria - re War of Syria
- Assad Used Chemical Warfare in Syria - 1,300 dead in Ghouta
- Formation of Syrian Rebel Alliance is Exactly What Assad Wants
- Testimonies of Syria Chemical Attacks
- Request for Prayers for Monasteries in Syria and Egypt
- Assad is Responsible for Carnage in Syria, from Washington Post
- Catching up with news on the War in Syria
- The Horror of the War in Syria to the Civilian Population
The list goes on: Google, Syria War Children
~~~
tags: Syria, war, children, conflict, revolution, Homs, Aleppo, Damascus, Middle East, Civil War, Conflict, Assad, Sunnis, massacre
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