Children of Syria badly traumatised

Source: The Press Association

Children from war-torn Syria are being badly traumatised from witnessing killings, torture and other atrocities in the country's conflict, a charity has warned.

Harrowing testimony collected from refugees in Save the Children projects reveals that youngsters have been the target of brutal attacks, seen the deaths of parents, siblings and other children, and have witnessed and experienced torture.

Speaking after returning from Jordan where he met refugee children, Justin Forsyth, Save the Children's chief executive, said: "No child should ever see the horrors being described on a daily basis to our staff on the ground; stories of torture, murder and terror.

Save the Children is on the ground on Syria's borders, providing emotional support to thousands of children who have fled to neighbouring countries, helping them recover from their experiences and rebuild their lives. The agency has launched an appeal to help fund its work in the region.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gsKN16RpT-AGi_xQ-i_amLKUoylA?docId=N0373061348499458381A

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7 replies	Author	Time	Post
Children of Syria badly traumatised (Original post)	cqo_000	Sep 2012	OP
Just think what the US unleashed on Iraqi children.	Arctic Dave	Sep 2012	#1
Yes. War is a horror. It will destroy the lives of many children. Forever.	nolabear	Sep 2012	#2
Truth hurts.	yellerpup	Sep 2012	#3
Breaks my heart.	nolabear	Sep 2012	#4
Me, too.	yellerpup	Sep 2012	#5
Yes, thank you for this, you have a very useful ability/talent	siligut	Sep 2012	#6
Kick! Things getting worse.	fun n serious	Sep 2012	#7

Response to cqo_000 (Original post)

Mon Sep 24, 2012, 10:01 PM

Arctic Dave (12,557 posts)

1. Just think what the US unleashed on Iraqi children.

I hope they helped them.

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Response to cqo_000 (Original post)

Mon Sep 24, 2012, 10:33 PM

nolabear (14,759 posts)

2. Yes. War is a horror. It will destroy the lives of many children. Forever.

Don't comfort yourselves with "Oh, they can be helped and live good lives in spite of it." The best they can hope for is a profound and premature understanding of the fragility of life. Thank heaven for Save the Children.

But that's sweet and philosophical. Many won't be saved. They will have the sight of the bodies of people they know, and sometimes love and depend on for survival, dismembered and blown apart and burned. They will hear their screams. They will see rape and disfigurement and the destruction of their homes and towns. They will starve and fear that they will die at a time when neurological pathways are being laid down. They won't be able to calm themselves. They will suffer from their mothers' terror and starvation when they are in utero. They will feel the impact of explosions that will cause their brains to slam against the insides of their skulls again and again. They will be injured, crippled, and their lives will never, never be all right again.

War. What kind of species does this to its two and three and four year olds? Its beautiful, sweet seven year olds? Its shy adolescents? It's madness.

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Response to nolabear (Reply #2)

Mon Sep 24, 2012, 10:47 PM

yellerpup (10,920 posts)

3. Truth hurts.

I admire the way you laid it out. War is unspeakable horror that no one experiencing it can ever escape. No one could have stated the consequences to children better. Thank you sincerely.

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Response to yellerpup (Reply #3)

Mon Sep 24, 2012, 11:04 PM

nolabear (14,759 posts)