Eye-opening expose on the permanently scarred children of war in
"situations where violence and hardship are the norm." As a
21-year-old research associate for Refugees International,
young-adult advocate London began his five-year immersion in the
international world of refugee youth and child militia in East
Africa, Thailand and the Balkans, barely scratching the surface of
the estimated 20 million uprooted refugee children worldwide.
London played soccer with teenaged "demobilized child soldiers" in
the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and with children in
Kosovo, who describe the bloodshed surrounding them in grisly
detail via drawings and interviews. Though each of the children
London profiles is unique, there are many commonalities in their
experiences. From Bosnia to Gaza, children have been positioned as
political pawns in modern warfare for centuries. The chapters form
a grim tapestry made up of what London calls the "protagonists" in
wars. Paul, kidnapped into the Congo militia after a violent raid
on his village, painfully regrets his time in the army and longs
for education; Keto, a highly intelligent, self-confident Congolese
boy in a Christian Outreach refugee camp, draws pictures and speaks
plainly about his mother's death from AIDS. Many more were forced
to watch their families be executed or - like "Charity," "Rebecca,"
"Hope," etc. - devoid of any adult supervision, subjected to
physical and sexual exploitation (i.e., bartered marriage in
exchange for heads of cattle). A long list of Thai and Tanzanian
children, no families or future to speak of, discuss in sorrowful
detail the complexities of living under the radar of their
country's warring factions. Thankfully, London offers positive
updates on several of the youth. But readers will never forget the
physical and mental damage inflicted upon their developing minds.
Never sentimental or patronizing, these are harsh, numbing
experiences.Searing and heartbreaking. (Kirkus Reviews)
This is an inspiring and often times heartbreaking memoir of one
man's work with child soldiers, refugees, and children orphaned by
civil war. Through the stories and drawings of children from Congo,
Burma, Kosovo, Sudan, and Rwanda - the sites of some of the most
violent upheavals of the past decade - we see the invisible
narrative of the young as they experience, understand, and are
shaped by the conflicts around them. These stories are sometimes
painful, sometimes triumphant, sometimes funny, and sometimes
terrifying. In that regard, they represent an accurate picture of
war and are a valuable alternative to the politically-charged
rhetoric we are given in our news reports. Told with compassion and
eye-opening frankness, this is beasts of no nation told from the
outside looking in - but all true.
General
Imprint: |
HarperCollins Publishers
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
October 2007 |
First published: |
October 2007 |
Authors: |
Charles London
|
Dimensions: |
205 x 130 x 20mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
336 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-06-124047-8 |
Categories: |
Books >
Humanities >
History >
General
Books >
History >
General
|
LSN: |
0-06-124047-8 |
Barcode: |
9780061240478 |
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