Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) – The war operations of the Pakistani Army in the Swat Valley, in the North-West Frontier Province, are bearing fruit. In recent days, the soldiers have come upon a terrible phenomenon of ghastly violence, which has left the public in a state of shock: over 200 children between the ages of 8 and 13 had been kidnapped by the Taliban and trained to become “baby-kamikazes,” suicide terrorists to be used against the enemy and civilians.
“The children have been brain washed to the point of saying that they wanted to kill their own parents,” sources from the Pakistani army said. “The Taliban taught them that the Pakistani Army is the enemy of Islam.”
The Taliban prefer to use children, as they are easily influences and less likely to be arrested. Now the youth are in need of what will be a slow psicological rehabilitation and constant assistance to reconver their childhood.
The non-governmental organizations present in the area have noted that the tragic phenomenon of child-soldiers used for guerrilla war fighting is present throughout the world and is in itself a heinous crime. Using children for suicide terrorism is even worse and provokes blind violence and an absolute violation, on the part of Taliban members, of human dignity.
On the war front, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani says that the soldiers have defeated a large part of the extremists and that the government has been able to help 400,000 (out of a total of 1.9 million) refugees return to their homes. According to the government, in nearly 95% of the North-West of Pakistan, peace has been reestablished, while operations continue towards “a complete elimination of the militants.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 29/7/2009)
