Soldier Child

Soldier Child

7.97
12345678910
Ratings: 7.97/10 from 37 users.

Soldier ChildSince 1990, the people of Northern Uganda have watched in horror as tens of thousands of children have been kidnapped from their homes, marched to Sudan, and then trained as child soldiers in a rebel army.

Acholi rebel-leader and religious fanatic Joseph Kony abducts Acholi children indiscriminately, brainwashes them, and then forces them to commit indescribable atrocities against their own families and friends.

Filmmaker Neil Abramson chronicles the plight of children in war-torn northern Uganda in this compelling documentary. Chronicling the savagery and horror that thousands of children endure as they are forced from their homes to serve in the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Soldier Child weaves a gripping tale of torture, rape, starvation, and brainwashing.

Through black and white photos and on-camera interviews, the events at GUSCO - the rehabilitation facility for those fortunate enough to have escaped their captors - come to life. You'll see selected stories of the victims of brutality, including poignant footage of a young boy whose feet are so infected from marching in the army that he can no longer walk and a teen-aged girl who has given birth as the result of being raped by LRA soldiers.

More great documentaries

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

33 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
onechromosomeshortadoublehelex
onechromosomeshortadoublehelex
11 years ago

Kidnaping=The draft. Taking children and fathers to train for the war=
US Army, USMC. Brainwashing them= Basic training and AIT. And what country does not have rape and brutality.
We have told Jesus to keep his nose out of our lives. Guess what? He has. He will come back if we pray for forgiveness and ask Hi to. try it you will like it..

Atescoop
Atescoop
11 years ago

Obama is a hypocrite. Just watched the Docu on Drones. They need to take out Kony.

jameshand
jameshand
11 years ago

this world we live in is a hell hole...

William Junger
William Junger
11 years ago

Gen, I've recently been coming to a very similar conclusion.

I often take the perspective that DNA is a virus, I think I'm wrong in the actual use of language one the other hand a race is never going to negatively identify with something of a negative connotation; not exactly survival of the fittest logic there.

I think it would be wrong to look at the mistakes of humanity as wrong, bad or incorrect; its not very constructive. And also the decisions made by people are made in the knowledge that it will benefit that individual at that point in time and thus aid in survival, this is true to every decision made.

In my opinion we do have an issue with media and I'd say that a vast majority of our population struggles to think critically, due to the oppressive nature of political and capital interest.

Gen. Grant
Gen. Grant
11 years ago

Why are people mad. Its not any of us are directly involved in helping them. If anything these wars are a result of our selfish life styles. People leave comments like "Those people are terrible and should pay for what they have done" not realizing they used a computer made with conflict minerals to watch the film and post their opinion. We fund this behavior in some shape or form whether you realize it or not. Most people do realize it just choose not to include this in everyday life (its bad for the big business).
Religion has held us back for a long time and has its horrors (rape, murder, molestation, war,genocide,slavery, etc), but is not the source. Its simply human nature. How do i know its human nature? Because people are out there doing it . I know most of couldn't picture ourselves killing or raping anyone but as you can see their is a lot of people out their that would or could be forced to ( weak minded selfish adults who would do anything to live another day instead of dying with dignity).
If it came down to you going home to your family or a complete stranger going home to his family, i cant see very many people committing a selfless act for a stranger and some people would even help commit crime or even go as far as to murder innocent people in order to avoid being killed themselves. These kids have done unspeakable things but we forgive them cause they were threatened with death. What about the people who recruited and trained them. Maybe someone threatened them or their families with death as well. Should you not forgive them? A lot of people want to kick Joseph Kony's dead body right in the mouth ( We want him dead... or alive, so we can kill him). Does that justify him being an a--hole forcing everyone to rape an kill so he isn't captured? I don't think so.
My main point is that we go through enormous lengths to maintain our luxuries (big houses, cars, i pads, etc. We live as if their is no tomorrow but are outraged when we see signs of a world with no tomorrow.
Its only human to be angry when you see these things but don't fool yourself into believing that you will still be thinking about these kids an hour after watching the film. For the majority of us its back to our own world (family, friends, job, relationships, pets, entertainment exercise, bills), AT the very least you might find another film about hell on earth and say to yourself " I'm gonna help those kids. Do not be fooled into thinking its only Afghanistan, china, vietnam, or chechnya, that have suffering children. Even the Great USA and europe have suffering children. Its not that we cant help them all its that whether we realize it or not we choose not to help them. Don't feel bad, Its just not in our nature to sacrifice for others.

Neverborn
Neverborn
11 years ago

I feel absolutley dwarfed by what these kids have had to go through. My own issues are so insignificant

Don Steiner
Don Steiner
11 years ago

Once the children have been Baptized in fire they can never go back to childhood. Not anymore then any adult could. If you are forced to kill your family. Then told you must join a war,fight and kill or be killed yourself you will do as you are told. The only solution to stop the men who recruit children before they have the chance,We have already lost so many I can think of very few causes that are this important. We protect animals,we protect land,we protect environment,we even protect resources. Why then do we choose not to protect our future. And generations that will be adults all to soon. In my heart I believe I would give my life up gladly to stop what is happening to these children. Children and animals are innocent and have not yet developed the prejudice that make us all hurt so badly. So we need to do our best to make a whole generation of people without our mind sets

Monique Wyatt
Monique Wyatt
11 years ago

Should the West engaged into interviewing children who have been traumatised without proper counselling?

Would such interview take place in the UK or USA? Such exploitation and propaganda should stop. Disgusting!!

GC
GC
11 years ago

harry are you a complete m*ron? I mean really, you ask how taking children and forcing them to kill with guns, knifes and matchettes is different than military school? Well let's see. military school doesn't just train youngsters for careers in the military, it also trains them to be honest, upstanding and have respect for their parents and elders. Lord trains his kids to murder and rape......gee.... I guess...maybe there is a LITTLE difference.

harry nutzack
harry nutzack
11 years ago

here in the US, we have "military schools", available to kids 6 years old and up. they indoctrinate the youth into future "military careers", and the wonderful world of "military discipline".... how is that ANY different? the popular paintings of our early wars show "drummer boys" leading the troops into battle... how is that ANY different? our 2 world wars brought us myriad tales of underage volunteers accepted with a wink and a nod by recruiters... how is that ANY different? anybody here remember "the green berets"? the vietnamese orphan hamchuk carried peterson's gear in exchange for food and "protection" from the VC... how is that ANY different? grow up, people, this goes on EVERYWHERE, and has as long as "civilization" has existed. after you storm VMI and liberate those kids, then talk to me about the "evils" of joseph kony. until then, perhaps an examination of the "evils" of your own culture might be an illuminating experience

Irishkev
Irishkev
11 years ago

Is it true that the guy who made Kony 2012 was caught naked in the street , reefing himself off , or is that bull .

Barzee
Barzee
11 years ago

I'd have to disagree witht he statement he made, "a safehaven, where the children are allowed to be children again" safehaven, yes, but i dont think those kids would be able to "be kids" anymore after their exposure to such terrible things.

Jeremy Hughes
Jeremy Hughes
11 years ago

Still, tis sad as hell. Reminds me of the Slipknot song "people = shyt" Hopefully someday soon, we can look back on things like this as distant memories of a time long gone and ya, call me a dreamer I suppose.

Jeremy Hughes
Jeremy Hughes
11 years ago

Check out youtube, even the people of Uganda are like "wtf mate?" they claim the LRA and the militant groups left the area almost a decade ago. I'm assuming this is more "oil" getting propaganda from the CIA.

Revilo
Revilo
11 years ago

...and that is why violence has no rightful place in Religion

Revilo
Revilo
11 years ago

Re: Slpsa.

Yeah then what happens to the families of the victims you create? Their broken families; they will grow to hate you just the same, eventually targeting you, and your families... ad nauseam.

The cycle can be broken.
Absolute democracy, honest democracy, true democracy.
Affordable communication, is leading the way for these things.
All in good time <10 generations.

P.S. Interesting attempt at trying to defend further violence. Heres a tip when wondering if/when you can moraly strike (under the pretense of "good"). -Violence is only acceptable (in the good), in the instance of self defence, and or in the instance of defence for someone that is not capable. NOT for justice, or revenge.

Mercenarry ForHire
Mercenarry ForHire
11 years ago

Another one? W.T.F! >:o

Im gona spend the time this takes to instead listen to something about law or the constitution.

Later Peeps :3

Gen. Grant
Gen. Grant
11 years ago

Alright everyone. Back to your i phones and facebooks, Nothing to see here.

dewflirt
dewflirt
11 years ago

Be interesting to see how the comments here differ from the Kony 2012 doc. Will this be considered more credible? Couldn't watch for long, seeing kids suffer just doesn't sit well with me. Also that I can't help thinking 'at least it's not my kids' and that thought makes me sick. I then have to think that the only thing stopping me from caring/helping is distance. Out of sight, out of mind. I guess that is the value of films like this.

brianrose87
brianrose87
11 years ago

How are Homo sapiens capable of such things?