Youth_Reflection Memo

The film on Ex combatants in Seria Leone reveals a lot about the socio-Economic and political life of ex soldiers in post conflict situations. It also raises many questions. The documentary reveals issues and challenges which these ex soldiers encounter and it also reveals the failures of the state itself.

In the documentary it is evident that the state has failed and continues to fail ex combatants and the society at large. Ex combatants are left alone without any attempts to reintegrate them into society and into the labor market through training and provision of skills which will enable them to embark on a new life after the conflict. The most striking thing is that these men have to navigate their own way and then one question arises. What is to stop these men from bearing arms again since the state largely ignores their reintegration? What is to stop these men from being further radicalized because of their marginalization from society? Since the state hasn’t done anything to promote trust among the  ex combatants and society, what will stop the resurfacing of old conflicts. Not only at the state level but on the level of society in general there seems to be no social initiatives at reintegration of ex combatants. The abandonment of ex combatants reveals why most of them turn to crime and in some circumstances are keen to take up arms again.

The socio Economic conditions in which these men find themselves after the war also gives less or no prospects of a better future. Life seems, according to the documentary, to be tough in the capital. These tough socio economic conditions are fertile ground for conflict. They broadly resemble the failure of the state to address issues which are the underlying cause of conflict in Sub Saharan Africa such as unemployment. In the documentary it was also heard that the ex combatants and Society at large distrust the government and politicians and rightly so. In  such conditions of mistrust and economic hardship it becomes easier to understand why African youth are easily radicalized and conscripted into armed groups and conflicts . What other alternatives are there?

The shortcomings of the peace  building-mechanisms are also apparent in the documentary. Yes the war is over, yes Peace  was agreed to, yes arms were surrendered but there are no strong efforts to address the underlying cause of conflict and promote social cohesion. Peace  building should not end with the signing of peace accords and proclamation of cease fires. Social programs should follow up to buttress peace. These shortcomings reveal why the threat of these civil conflict still looms in SSA.

The humane side of the ex combatants is also revealed in the documentary. They state their desire for a better life, for jobs, for an education, for love, for family and for success. Therefore instead of branding these people as criminals and barbarians it’s important to know and recognize them as individuals who need help and who need to be reintegrated with society. Stigmatizing them further will not help and it’ salsa imperative to know and recognize the abuses they faced as child soldiers. Issues such as ethnicity and religion were barely brought up in the documentary. Does it mean that they are of no importance in Sierra Leone?