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Southern Africa (although not South Africa). Just before the end of apartheid, everyone was gearing up for a fight and everyone was pretty angry. Two men talked
by GreeniFi 8y ago
Southern Africa (although not South Africa). Just before the end of apartheid, everyone was gearing up for a fight and everyone was pretty angry. Two men talked the region off a precipice, Nelson Mandela, literally a prince of peace (he was a prince). And secondly Desmond Tutu. And maybe the humanity of young men like those we encountered, who could just as well shot us. It happened elsewhere and at other times.
- andrei_says_ 8y agoAlso consider the isolation present in the western world. It is a huge factor but kind of invisible because we swim in it.
- rconti 8y agoIt's also possible the impact (however small) of free range children such as yourself, helped the militia men you encountered find their own humanity.
- GreeniFi 8y agoThank you for pointing that out. It could also have been their free-range childhoods. These soldiers would not have been press-ganged. I’ve read that elsewhere in Africa, child soldiers are forced by older soldiers to commit atrocities together (rape etc) in order to form a sort of perverse bond or espirit de corps which is otherwise not present when you’re forced to be there.
- wonderwonder 8y agoI knew you were going to say South / Southern Africa before I even read your answer. Just the way you described the scenario told me where you were from. Glad everything turned out well for you.
- ido 8y agoI assumed former Yugoslavia in the 90s.