Written By: The Tamil Nation Development Council of Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance
The aftermath of war can leave a lot of individuals feeling disoriented and distressed. It’s hard to imagine the thoughts and feelings of these individuals. Children are amongst one of the groups of people who are often dramatically impacted by the repercussions of war.
A lot of what we tend to take for granted is what these children lose. They struggle to find a sense of belonging. They have a hard time trying to make sense of what happened and this often places them in a state of mind that often makes it difficult for them to move forward.
As a result of the war, many children tend to have both physical and psychological impairments. Post-traumatic stress disorder is common in many war-stricken nations. The feeling of constantly replaying images and experiences is upsetting, especially for children. Children need to be taken care of and guided, especially because the primary settings for these children tend to have lasting effects on their futures. The psychological difficulties faced by children can really make them question everything they’ve ever known and fall into a state of depression and lives of fear.
The physical damage of war is also widespread. Children may have lost limbs, or they may even have endured horrific experiences that caused disfigurements. In fact, some of these children may have had to have their limbs amputated and are forced to live with not only starting a new life after the war, but also starting a new life with a disability. In addition, the physical damages could also be reminding children of the terrible realities of war.
These children need to be looked after. They cannot be forgotten or disregarded. They need to be reminded that they are valuable, worthy, and that their lives have meaning. Children are vulnerable, and it is of utmost importance that they believe that they could turn the scars of war and channel positive energies so that they are liberated and use their experiences to move forward as opposed to being confined within the traumatic experiences of war.
John F. Kennedy once said “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” It is important that when we think of nation development, we need to keep in mind that there are so many groups that must be considered. Children are one of the groups that must be acknowledged. They are priceless and they bring with them the power to change the world. This capacity needs to be revitalized, especially within war-stricken nations.
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