Child Soldiers are Real
Cross ref
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=256997640721&ref=mf
I thank Diane Beeler, Guest Author, of Goodwill Ambassadors, under the heading:
Ishmael Beah: From Child Soldier to UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador dated August 29, 2009.
In this world and time, it is unbelievable that such abuses of children are still encountered in some countries like in Africa and South America.
In 2003, I was persuaded by the former Ambassador of Peru to Singapore, Juan Carlos Capunay, to write a poem on children who are abused for a benefit concert. I started to read up on such topics scouring the bookshops for such books. After some research on such abuses for a few months, I was ready to put to paper some lyrics to be put to music by American Dr John Sharpley for a benefit concert to help the Children’s Cancer Foundation in Singapore.
On May 13, 2004, I wore five hats as Producer, Promoter, Chairman, Underwriter, & Librettist to premiere L’Enfant Sauvage, a gala benefit concert at Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore with Guest-of-Honour, Mrs Goh Chok Tong (wife of then PM Goh Chok Tong).
The benefit concert was a great success due to the contributions of all artists from US, Australia and Malaysia, working hand in hand with our local artists. I also received generous support from friends, sponsors and patrons to raise a substantial fund for the Children’s Cancer Foundation. Many foreign dignitaries also attended to support , including my good friend, the former Ambassador of Italy,Dr Guido Scalici.
Now, I would like to share : Excerpts of my poem – L’Enfant Sauvage
We are the lambs sacrificed in war
Help us to disarm,
Safely dispose and demobilise.
Release us as child soldiers.
In order to reintegrate,
Help us back with education.
Watch out for the landmines!
Run! Help us!Quick! hide!
Stop hurting us! We’ll kill you!
Stop! Please, let us go!
We are the lambs sacrificed in war.
Forgive us so we may heal.
Keep us off the battlefields.
Protect us with a ’straight eighteen’ ban.
We cannot wait. We are the seeds of hope.
Help us stop the wars.
We are the lambs sacrificed in war.
Give us peace.
………….
I am sucked
Into endless battles.
How long will it take
Before things get better?
I cannot feel the pain
If I don’t see it.
If I do, it will pierce my heart
Like a sword,
stinging as ‘little bees’.
When I killed
was it me?
Had I not
would a difference be?
I was wife to a commander
Then to his soldiers and more,
Slave to them all.
I play in the fields
I kick – is it a ball
Or is it a bomb?
In the end,
Will I be whole?
In the camp
I am starving.
I am suffering.
Will there be release?
Would it be death?
Chorus:
Om, om, om
We cannot wait.
We are the seeds
Soprano:
You are our future,
Our destiny.
…………….
Chorus:
We want to go
To school
To learn
To write..
Soprano:
…About your country,
The futility of war.
……………
Chorus:
We will be free
Soprano:
Om, om
You will be free, Om
You will be free
You will be home free
Chorus:
Home free!
When I read about Ishmael Beah, who actually was a child soldier and his ordeal to finally turn over to become a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, I wish to share with him and all at Ambassadors of the World the realities of such abuses still going on in this 21st century. This should never have happened and the fact that it did and can still continue in some poor countries speaks volumes that something must be amiss.
With the spread of education and social pressures brought to bear on recalcitrant countries, there must be hope that we never see such abuses ever again perpetrated on young innocent children.
If all the Goodwill Ambassadors join in to send a strong message to these perpetrators, especially over the net, we may never see such atrocities again.
Our generation has the responsibility to leave them a legacy of peace, understanding and friendship and to heal those who have suffered.
Anna Wang
Ambassador , Global-Globcal
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ambassador-Anna-Wang/109269581658#/pages/Goodwill-Ambassadors/122180603637
Booklet of L’Enfant Sauvage, please read hereunder by clicking:
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