Warlord of the Flies: Child Soldiers and Non-State Actors in New Wars

Year 2024, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 85 - 101, 31.05.2024

İlke Taylan Yurdakul , Mustafa Nail Alkan

Abstract

Non-state actors are overlooked by state centric paradigms. These actors deepen and perpetuate the problems faced by vulnerable groups in weak states. Many children are forced to join warlords because of push factors created by weak states’ extractive political and economic institutions. Developments in law made the crime of child recruitment a full-fledged war crime. NGOs play an important role in establishing ethical frameworks that characterize children’s participation in armed conflicts as unacceptable, yet this article claims that without finding a solution to the structural problems of weak states, it is an impossible task to keep war away from children.

Keywords

Child Soldiers, Warlords, Non-State Actors, Norm Entrepreneurs, New Wars

Sineklerin Savaş Tanrısı: Yeni Savaşlarda Çocuk Askerler ve Devlet Dışı Aktörler

Abstract

Devlet dışı aktörler, devlet merkezli paradigmalar tarafından göz ardı edilmektedirler. Oysaki bu aktörler zayıf devletlerde bulunan savunmasız grupların karşılaştıkları problemleri derinleştirmekte ve hatta kalıcı hale getirmektedirler. Bu ülkelerde yaşayan pek çok çocuk, devletlerin dışlayıcı politikaları neticesinde savaş ağalarına katılmaya zorlanmaktadır. Hukuktaki gelişmeler neticesinde çocukların silah altına alınması bir savaş suçu sayılmaya başlanmıştır. Sivil Toplum Kuruluşları, çocukların silahlı çatışmalara dahil olmalarını kabul edilemez olarak nitelendiren çerçevenin oluşturulmasında etkin rol oynamaktadırlar, ancak bu makalede zayıf devletlerin yapısal sorunlarına çözüm bulunmadan savaşı çocuklardan uzak tutmanın olanaksız bir görev olduğu iddia edilmektedir.

Keywords

Çocuk Askerler, Savaş Ağaları, Devlet Dışı Aktörler, Norm Girişimcileri, Yeni Savaşlar

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