Suicide bombers have become a mainstay in today's modern warfare, we have become hardened by their continual actions and rarely does one become shocked to see headlines like, “suicide bomber kills 11″. Modern suicide bombing began in the 1980's during the Lebanese Civil War, and has since spread to more than 12 countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Palestine and Israel, with attacks in some 30 countries. The use of suicide bombers has dramatically increased since its modern beginnings in the 198o's which saw an average of 4.7 attacks a year to 180 attacks a year in the first half of the 2000's (The Moral Logic and Growth of Suicide Terrorism Fig. 1, p.128).

While suicide bombing incidents are now steadfastly becoming a weapon of modern warfare, these human bombs are most often not the sound and hungry disciples that their leaders and trainers portray in their rhetoric. Just this month two suicide bombers in Iraq where discovered to be mentally disabled, as following the deadly attack both bombers where revealed to have Downs Syndrome (Blasts in Iraq markets kill 91). Sadly the use of the disabled as suicide bombers is hardly an isolated case. A 2007 study in Afghanistan, found 80% of the suicide attackers had some kind of physical or mental disability (Disabled Often Carry Out Afghan Suicide Missions).

These are not heartless killers, but manipulated people who's minds and bodies have been enslaved by the terror that is placed upon them over and over by those who see vengeance as a tool which wins battles. This misguided approach to warfare not only hinders the ability to win wars, but leaves countless victims that are manipulated into acts for which they do not understand the extent of their actions. Yes, it is true that many suicide bombers go forth with these acts of a sound mind and their own free will, but we must remember that what makes someone act in such a manner is still based on deception and misconception. However it is not these actors in which sends fear into society the most, it is the acts of mere children.

The use of child suicide bombers appears to be increasing, and while many children are educated and reared into this deadly fate, many are thankfully saved or removed before their actions have deadly consequences. Many have seen the images of infants and toddlers dressed in mock suicide bomber outfits in Palestine, and while they may not commit such acts when they grow-up, their fate is one undoubtedly leaning towards violence.

Many children are being taught the ways of suicide bombing in religious schools, others by their parents or other relatives, however it is the use of religious schools that are on the rise. In Pakistan this has been seen with the use `madrassah' (seminary schools) as a source point of indoctrinating children into the life and death of a suicide bomber seems to be increasing. Rehma, her husband Shaukat fearfully removed their son Zarak from the seminary, and packed then moved the entire family away after they where shocked at his talk of suicide bombings and paradise (Child suicide bombers "victims of the most brutal exploitation"). In Pakistan the there were 56 suicide attacks in 2007 alone, a number which many fear will only rise in 2008.

The question of weather or not these children are terrorist or victims seems clear to manythey are victims of those who brainwash and lead them to this future less life. It is the cowards who prey on the innocent, never seeming to take action themselves, they just continue to spew this deadly rhetoric and watch as their victims take the lives of other innocent victims, that are the true terrorists.

Please see my previous posts on child suicide bombers here.

(2004 16 year old suicide bomber in Israel)

"The Taleban said God himself would ignite the vest. I did not have to do anything."- Farman Ullah

A recent Times article, There is no defense against these children of death, by Robert Baer. The article was run in addition to the UK Channel 4's airing of the Cult of the Suicide Bomber, which left many in a heated debate, or simply questioning the true end to what Baer calls “the cult of the suicide bomber”. Baer is a former CIA intelligence officer, who served in the Middle East, in counter-terrorism. The story was about a 17 year old Pakistani boy, Farman Ullah, who is the world's first remotely detonated human bomb. Honed with a remote controlled detonator, Farman, was to kill the pro-Western Governor of Jalabad. Armed with dreams of Paradise the 17 year old was nothing more than a remote controlled bomb, misguided and misled…and luckily for the Governor he was captured, before he could be detonated. But the debate for many as ensued over the question of labeling Farman, and his fellow child suicide bombers as killers or victims.

Therefore what do we do to stop children around the world from becoming suicide bombers? According to Baer, “it is that silent army of fathers, brothers, sisters and mothers who are the only real weapon against another generation of Farmans. …this an ideological battle that will be won, or lost, at the local mosque, at the family dinner table or between friends across the Islamic world. Suicide bombing will be defeated not by a gun or a fancy scanner but by the religious principles of Koran itself.”

Personally I have to agree with Baer on this one, in many aspects, only I wish it was as simple as it sounds. As with all types of youth violence and hate crimes, it must be dealt with at the root and very core of their young existence…at home, school, in church/temple/mosque, etc. Nonetheless, in order for this fight to be won at this level, other issues such as education/literacy, poverty, healthcare, etc., must be addressed. For a child to to grow up in such an environment, where his parents teach their child nothing other than the salvation that will come in death, and death alone…a parent who has raised a child for no other purpose, and dresses their child as a suicide bomber, what is the future? The lives of these children are far from our grasp, and we must address all the issues that surround, and fuel the “cult of the suicide bomber”!

Please see my previous post on child suicide bombers.

The ‘cycle of abuse’, we’ve all heard the phrase a million times, yet I often think we forget what it means. It does not only mean the cycle, or stages, in which abuses are carried out. A child who grows up in an abusive home, is sexually abused, is a victim of trafficking, a child soldier…unfortunately the list of grave injustices against children goes on and on, is never able to escape the cycle of abuse. Therefore a child of abuse is at an increased risk to become an abuser, victim of sexual assault, become socially isolated, turn to drugs and alcohol, and various other form of self destructive behavior or susceptible to varying forms of continued abuse. We, as an international community must work to ensure that all children have been given their right to protection, both to prevent such abuses, and to assist the abused in their recovery. Therefore substantial physical and psychological care must be given to victims.

11 year old, Saraa Barhoum, Hamas TV's child star says she's ready for martyrdom. The star of Hamas television's most famous children's show, "Tomorrow's Pioneers". The very same Hamas television children's show that brought us the ‘militant Mickey Mouse look-alike’, Farfour, that was killed by an Israeli interrogator. Saraa said she was ready to be a martyr, although in her interview she gave no indication of how she would be willing to enter into martyrdom.

Colorful backgrounds and cartoon images, do not take away from the adult content that is aired on Hamas children's television. While the image of a Mickey Mouse look alike, may have shocked many, the message of martyrdom isn't new on Hamas Children's shows, nor is it new in the Israeli - Palestinian conflict. Farfour, was quickly replaced with, Nahoul the Bee, who has not only showed children the road to martyrdom, but cruelty to animals. Although in the segment, below, with Nahoul the Bee, was somewhat scolded on the show by Saraa, for his actions, the episode used to be an example to illustrate Jewish behaviors, and place Palestinian behavior as superior.

One cannot condone in any manner, the use of animal cruelty, to teach children any lesson. However the real debate over Hamas TV shows, such as "Tomorrow's Pioneers", is the teaching of martyrdom and racism. Regardless of your side on the historical or political issues of the conflict, the use of children for political propaganda is completely unacceptable, regardless of whether it is coming from the Jewish or Palestinian side.

Nahool: "You and we will liberate the sad Al-Aqsa that is waiting for us. Yes, we will liberate Al-Aqsa from the filth of the criminal Jews, who killed my grandfather, and killed Farfur, and history will bear witness to that" ("Jihad Bee" Calls for Child Martyrs on Hamas TV)

Children are already influenced by their parents, family members and friends, in the ways of Jihad, and now with cartoons and other children promoting martyrdom, are children only being led down one path? Children are truly little sponges, who absorb all that is said and enacted around them, if hate is all they see and hear, then hate is all they will know. A large portion of todays Palestinian youth are being raised to hate, kill and die, leaving a future generation of adults with little to look forward to.

Article 17 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, “States Parties recognize the important function performed by the mass media and shall ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources, especially those aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health.”

This includes To this end, States Parties shall:
(a) Encourage the mass media to disseminate information and material of social and cultural benefit to the child and in accordance with the spirit of article 29;
(e) Encourage the development of appropriate guidelines for the protection of the child from information and material injurious to his or her well-being, bearing in mind the provisions of articles 13 and 18.

It is a clear that the use of harmful cartoon messages, and children to promote martyrdom, is a clear violation of a child's human rights. The Palestinian Authority and the international community must crack down on such abuses of children.  As for Saraa Barhoum, we can only hope that her role in promoting other children to give their lives in the name of Palestine, comes to an end, as does her desire to follow the path of a martyr.  Children are not the weapons of war, but the hope of the future, and we must work as an international community to ensure they remain as such.

No matter what you say, or what you do, it all leaves a mark on the children around you. A child who witnesses violence and war, is forever scared by what they see. A child who hears nothing but negative, cannot erase the voice that says, “you can't”. But the child who witnesses peace and love, will carry that with them forever and continue to share hope for the future.

We cannot erase the mistakes of the past, but we can leave a bigger impression on a child with hope, than with despair.

It is the children who suffer most from the violence of war and hate!

“There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace.”
– Kofi Annan