Kidnappings... Last week, my group did a presentation on the topic of Kidnappings in Colombia. We were assigned "News Of A Kidnapping" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It seems like those kidnapped in Colombia were treated in a more "humane" way. They are fed and not all of those kidnapped are tortured. The captors don't always "hate" those kidnapped. The captors, at times, had friendly relationships with those kidnapped. Would I be a horrible person if I said that I would rather be a kidnapped victim in Colombia than someone tortured in 1970's Argentina? I feel that the question is irrelevant; human rights violations are human rights violations!
Even more interesting, is all the factions that are involved in a kidnapping and their stories. One of my colleagues did her presentation on children in the guerrillas. The facts are interesting. 30% of those in the Guerrillas are children and two-thirds are under the age of 15. Average age of recruitment: 13.8 years in 2002 →12.8 years in 2006. Many times, they are forced to join the guerrillas but at times, they volunteer. These children are trained to kill and experience a life that is not meant for them. Garcia Marquez often makes reference to these children soldiers in the book. They are often the ones monitoring those held captive. There are those held captive and their families. My first presentation was on Ingrid Betancourt and it is very clear from reading her children and her mother’s plead to the guerrilla, that they were deeply impacted and hurt by their loved one’s capture.
Garcia’s book also shows the role of the authority. Many times, there is nothing that they can do.
I agree with the fact that violations are violations! But this also revolves around the topic you had mentioned previously: violent responses vs. nonviolent responses. It is very sad to read about the children belonging to the guerrillas. These are kids that are still going through puberty for God's sake! They are already confused as it is during this age. And unfortunately most of them grow up with all this hatred inside, and it's not even their fault. How can you fight these things when their way of life and values are very different from the rest of us?
ReplyDeleteI think Laura touches on a very good point. One of the key disadvantages that exists when it comes to fighting these groups is that they are machines. They are trained not to feel or value human life and relationships like we do and therefore we have no choice but to be afraid. Because there's no pleading that will get them to change.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I don't see an end to this issue any time soon... or maybe EVER.