Operation S.I.C.K. (Stop Inciting Children to Kill)

September 13, 2002 3:58 PM

Operation S.I.C.K. (Stop Inciting Children to Kill) is an independent network of students combatting the exploitation of children for armed conflict.
posted by ookamaka (3 comments total)

While it is no doubt a noble cause to end the use of children in armed conflict, it should be noted that this is first and foremost an Israeli propaganda site designed to direct attention towards the exploitation of children in the Palestinian territories.

While the images of Palestinian children holding guns at rallies etc. are no doubt shocking, and the corruption of Palestinian children is no doubt a reality, the actual use of child soldiers in battle and conflict is not and has never been common in the Arab/Israeli wars. While there is no doubt that Palestinian children are subjected to incitement and propaganda, there can also be no doubt that, unlike conflicts in Africa, child soldiers play little to no role in combat.

This website cynically harnesses a genuine cause for its own agenda, which is wrong. This "independent network of students" ought to be upfront about its true aims, rather than adding a couple of one-off stories on real child soldiers in other parts of the world. The very real problems for children in Palestine will be solved by a comprehensive peace agreement, not by exploiting a worthy cause that is far more applicable in other conflicts. Again, I am not saying there is anything wrong with spotlighting the problems of children in Palestine, it is just that this site purports to be a comprehensive website for this issue, when in reality it is fundamentally concerned with a part of the world that, quite frankly, is not at the forefront of the issue.

If you are truly interested in the awful conditions of child soldiers around the globe, Amnesty International has been at the forefront of this issue. Other groups (including this one) are listed here.
posted by cell divide at 4:40 PM on September 13, 2002

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posted by dash_slot- at 5:45 PM on September 13, 2002

Independent my rosy red arse.
posted by xmutex at 8:01 PM on September 13, 2002