Italy – “Alto el Fuego”: the Tragedy and Hope of Child Soldiers
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27 January 2017
Italy – “Alto el Fuego”: the Tragedy and Hope of Child Soldiers

(ANS – Rome) – Over 50 years of armed conflict in Colombia between FARC, ELN, the Paramilitaries and the State left on the field eight million victims. Throughout this time, thousands of children were part of armed groups and in their turn became the victims, because their childhood remained attached to arms, the forest was their only home and the battalion their sole family. This is why the Salesian Missionary Procure of Madrid presents on Thursday, February 2nd, in Rome, the documentary “Alto el Fuego” (Cease Fire) on the process of personal rehabilitation and social reintegration of Child Soldiers implemented by the Salesians.

The use of child soldiers is a very widespread practice in countries at war: they are cheap labour, easy to manipulate, with few exigencies, loyal, easily replaceable, they do not cost much to feed, create less suspicions in enemy lines, and are perfect companions and sex slaves… According to an estimate, in Colombia there are still from 8.000 to 14.000 child soldiers.

Deprived of education for years, the minors that have been driven away from the conflict are hosted in the Salesian house “Ciudad Don Bosco” of Medellin, that in the last 14 years accompanied over 2.300 ex child soldiers. The programme “Construyendo sueños” (Constructing Dreams) welcomes them, cares for their rehabilitation and educates them, helping them to overcome the traumas they suffered through a pedagogy of trust, transforming their fears into the desire of learning, and teaching them a profession so that they may reintegrate in the society and reunite with their families.

The documentary “Alto el Fuego”, directed by Raul de la Fuente, traces in 21 minutes the fears, dreams and hopes of the protagonists, Catalina and Manuel. It recounts their entry in the guerrilla warfare, the phase of de-militarization, the process of personal reconstruction in the Salesian house and their dreams of a future of peace and as actors and constructors of that same peace. “I want to buy a small house… no, a big house! I want to go to University, to think big…”, says Catalina who has just obtained her diploma in Graphic Arts at Ciudad Don Bosco.

In the coming weeks the documentary will be presented in various places: the first presentation is scheduled on Thursday, February 2nd, in Rome, where Catalina and Manuel, Catalina and Manuel, young people delivered from FARC in Colombia; Rafael Bejarano, Salesian and Director of “Ciudad Don Bosco” in Medellin; and James Areiza, educator and responsible for the Programmes of Child Protection at “Ciudad Don Bosco” in Medellin will also be present. Later on, the documentary will also be presented in Brussels, Bonn and Madrid.

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