Exploring the Journey of Child Soldiers to Adulthood

TMS PEACE JOURNALISM, 18 Nov 2024

Marija Šarić, Siniša Sajević and Michaelina Jakala | Coventry University – TRANSCEND Media Service

Coming of Age During and After the 1992-1995 War in Bosnia-Herzegovina

13 Nov 2024 – The journey of child soldiers after war is fraught with different challenges. As young individuals thrust into the chaos of armed conflict, their experiences are unique and often overlooked, especially in the case of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH). Understanding their post-war journey is crucial in addressing their challenges and facilitating their reintegration into society. In the aftermath of conflict, the voices of child soldiers often remain unheard, overshadowed by broader narratives and peacebuilding processes. However, understanding their lived experiences is paramount in addressing the unique challenges they face in rebuilding their lives post-war.

In 2020, we began our research collaboration between Coventry University and Wings of Hope BiH. As part of the larger ‘Youth, violence and conflict transformation: exploring mobilization into violence and the role of youth in peacebuilding’ project, our mission was to delve into the youth-to-adulthood transition of former child soldiers in BiH. This conflict is not generally associated with child soldiers, and minimal research is available on this group (See for example, Savić, Piralić, and Janković 2021). We began to explore the journey of young people/child soldiers to adulthood during and after the 1992-1995 war.

Bosnia Child Soldiers 1992-1995 War – Reddit

Our primary focus was on understanding the milestones and transitions experienced. To achieve this, we conducted a survey aimed at people who came of age during the war. We also conducted life story interviews with 15 former child soldiers (3 women and 12 men) to gain a deeper understanding of the milestones and transitions this group experienced and the values that led to their participation in the conflict. Additionally, we conducted a workshop to examine the milestones and transitions further. All of our participants were from the three constitutive nations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, representing a diverse range of perspectives: Bosniaks (Muslims), Serbs and Croats.

The devastation of war does not disappear but is woven into the lives and bodies of those who have experienced it. War is a life-altering experience for those who unfortunately have that experience. However, the impact on young fighters is particularly harsh. As adolescents and young people are drawn into conflicts as soldiers, they face unique challenges that shape their lives long after the war has ended. These individuals often face physical and psychological trauma, miss educational opportunities, and grapple with the challenges of reintegration into civilian life. There is a feeling of being lost, deceived, afraid and ashamed of what happened, as well as a feeling of losing a part of life, alienation, and an attempt to compensate for that loss after the war, often with alcohol and drug abuse, trying to catch up lost with lost youth. The topics that particularly stood out in our research are loss of innocence, disrupted education, forced maturity, and psychological trauma. Below, we offer a snippet of reflection on our findings from the life story interviews.

The war in BiH not only shattered the innocence of several generations but robbed them of their childhoods. Young people, who should have been preoccupied with school, friendships, and dreams of the future, found themselves thrust into the harsh realities of war. Many witnessed violence, lost loved ones, and lived in constant fear. The loss of childhood innocence, universally cherished as a time of purity, wonder, and untainted joy, was tragically replaced by the harsh realities of violence,  loss, and trauma for child soldiers. This often led to various addictions, as described by KŠ, “After the war, I came out as a chronic alcoholic, so I didn’t think much of it. I wanted to escape from some things, I was not mentally well. I didn’t even think much about the future”.

The conflict also disrupted the educational journey of many Bosnian youth. Schools and universities were often closed, and educational infrastructure was damaged or destroyed. For child soldiers who endured the ravages of war, access to education is frequently disrupted, leaving them marginalized and deprived of the opportunities needed to rebuild their lives. These children, torn from the safety of classrooms, find themselves thrust into a world of violence and chaos, their dreams of learning and growth shattered by the harsh realities of war. ZM describes the education experience during the war, “War schools were improvised schools in the basements of buildings, where you simply had a mixture of people from all different schools and grades, from all generations, and we were all together. When I was a soldier, I couldn’t be in school. The only good memory from that school period is the people I met then. Several people who remain my friends to this day”.

However, the war also compelled young people to mature at an accelerated rate. Many became caregivers for younger siblings, took on responsibilities beyond their years, and learned to navigate the complexities of a war-torn society. For child soldiers, the transition from innocence to forced maturity was not just swift and brutal but also marked by profound loss of innocence as they were thrust into the grim realities of conflict. GM reflects. “You live in a carefree childhood, where you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll have enough to eat tomorrow. Something comes that destroys all that—a war arrives, and suddenly, survival becomes your foremost concern. In just a few days at the onset of the war, I had to grow up overnight, taking care of myself and those around me. It wasn’t a typical coming-of-age experience, like puberty or something I’d encountered before. For me, everything came to a halt”.

A young member of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Siege of Sarajevo, 1992-5
Reddit

The trauma experienced during the war has left deep psychological scars on the Bosnian youth. Many are still dealing with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression, affecting their emotional well-being and making the transition to adulthood more challenging. It is important to note that the scars of war are not always visible; some of the deepest wounds are etched into the minds and hearts of those who have endured the horrors of armed conflict. For child soldiers, the psychological trauma inflicted during their time in war reverberates long after they retreat from the front lines and the guns fall silent. EV notes,  “The consequences of war linger with me; I’m 80% disabled, with a shorter leg, among other things. I also suffer from frequent headaches—all consequences of the war. Whenever I feel pain, it inevitably triggers memories of the situations that caused it. I find myself often revisiting those war days, though I prefer not to dwell on them or talk about them much. I actively avoid discussions about the war“. Along the same lines, Top of Form

EŠ reflects on the war experience, “The aftermath of the war brought great disappointment because I no longer felt I fit into the events that followed—neither in the state nor in society. Was it a consequence of emerging from the war with trauma, making it difficult to transition from the horrors of conflict to accepting a new reality? It became challenging to adjust to a life where shooting at each other and hunger were no longer the norm, where witnessing dismemberment was not commonplace. Suddenly, what was once normal became unsettling, hindering the ability to move forward. Moreover, society was in disarray and offered no guidance. Years passed in this state, and it took me about five or six years to regain my bearings, yet I couldn’t reclaim that lost time to make meaningful progress. These are my personal experiences. Some fared much better, while others fared much worse”.

The workshop we conducted offered an opportunity for our participants, comprised of child soldiers from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs, to gather and reflect on their experiences. Interestingly, all shared a unanimous sentiment: they had lost a pivotal part of their youth due to their involvement in war. Despite originating from different sides of the conflict, they found common ground in the shared experience of suffering endured during their formative years. This project, specifically the workshop, provided a platform where they could sit together, transcend ethnic divides, and express their shared pain and trauma.

Upon commencement of the workshop, participants wasted no time opening up about their experiences, recounting the traumas and challenges faced as adolescents amidst the onset of war. The atmosphere of their youth, once filled with playfulness and laughter that characterized their youth, was transformed by the grim realities of conflict—shells, bullets, and destruction encroaching upon their once carefree lives.

The first exercise saw participants organized into mixed national groups tasked with visually depicting childhood, youth, and adulthood through three images. Each presentation encapsulated the transition from a harmonious, united Yugoslavia to the tumultuous upheaval of conflict, symbolizing the disruption of their youthful innocence and its lasting impact on their adult lives. They shared that the interruption of their youth by war-induced destruction has left them enduring trauma and pain, which they continue to grapple with today.

In the subsequent segment of the workshop, participants engaged in discussions concerning the contemporary geopolitical landscape and its implications on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the enduring images of war. They highlighted the profound impact of current crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing conflicts, in exacerbating their PTSD symptoms and exacerbating the challenges of coping with war-related trauma.

Moreover, participants expressed concerns about the influence of violent social media, including video games and movies, as well as political propaganda, on today’s youth in BiH. They lamented the distorted portrayal of conflict and war perpetuated by these mediums, which they fear may contribute to the potential recruitment of a new generation into future conflicts. They emphasized the urgent need to counteract this trend through education and awareness-raising initiatives to prevent the perpetuation of war-mongering sentiments among the youth.Top of Form

BiH remained a divided country along ethnic lines after the war. Young people were caught in a complex web of identity issues, navigating between ethnic affiliations and forging a path toward reconciliation. The wartime generation of young people continues to face the significant consequences of the war; they are on the margins of society and often feel like a lost generation. To hear more about the experiences of former child soldiers in BiH, please listen to our project podcast, Generation Peace, Episode 1, out on 20 November 2024.

References:

Savić, D., Piralić, R., Janković, A. (2021). Voices of Ex-Child Soldiers from the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Between Public and Private Narratives. In: Beier, J.M., Tabak, J. (eds) Childhoods in Peace and Conflict. Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74788-6_3

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Marija Šarić is a long-time researcher, consultant, M.Sc. Gestalt psychotherapist, peace activist and expert in peace building and peace mediation processes. Through years of work with war victims, young people, representatives of the non-governmental sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, she has acquired invaluable knowledge in understanding the different contexts of social phenomenon research.

Siniša Sajević Gestalt Psychotherapist, M.Sc. of Democracy and Human Rights, researcher, worked for years on peace building processes with war victims and young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Balkan region. Initiator of the Platform for Peace, a document that was adopted by the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and by 60 municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a platform for peace activities and processes in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dr Michaelina Jakala is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Peace and Security, Coventry University. She is also ethnographer with a background in Peace Studies. Her research interests broadly focus on the everyday experiences of peacebuilding and transitional justice with particular interest in justice, reparation, and education amongst marginalised groups. She has experience with participatory research and arts-based methods.

This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 18 Nov 2024.

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