Where have the baton-wielding children come from?
Where have the baton-wielding children come from? These young soldiers, whose images are shared dressed in military leopard print or even civilian clothes with batons, shields, and helmets, and on the other hand, with colorful children’s sneakers, standing on sidewalks or street corners, who are they and where have they come from? Children or teenagers who are likely in their last years of elementary school or early years of high school.
Basij
Some believe that considering the size and design of the clothing and equipment provided to these teenagers, it is clear they have been prepared for such tasks in advance. It is not unlikely that these children are the same members of the student Basij. Iran’s history of using children in armed conflicts dates back to the first months of the Iran-Iraq war, but the end of the war not only did not end the presence of children in military activities but also gave a more organized shape to it with the formation of the Student Basij Organization in 1998.
Children can become ordinary members of the Basij from the age of 11 and active members from the age of 15. Ordinary and active members become familiar with the use of various weapons through related training, and active members are allowed to use firearms. Some official reports from previous years indicate the membership of more than 5 million children in the Student Basij.
In 2010, the head of the Student Basij announced the creation and expansion of more Basij bases in elementary schools to prepare students. In November 2009, he also reported the establishment of Basij resistance units in elementary schools in Iran. However, some observations suggest that this was not the first time Basij member children and teenagers were used in protests, as this issue was also observed in the 2009 protests, December 2017, November 2019, and water protests in Khuzestan and Isfahan.
Ideological Training
In 2009, after the political protests of that year, one of the officials of the Ministry of Education announced that four thousand political education teachers or political education experts would be sent to Iranian schools. According to this report, the tasks of these experts were to make students aware of what was called the enemy’s seditions to destroy the Islamic Revolution and the correct way to counter cultural invasions.
A teacher at that time said they tried to replace managers who supported Mousavi. On the other hand, they brought at least one Basij member to all schools who worked with intelligence, and school managers and deputies were selected from among the Basij members. In recent years, the presence of clerics and seminarians under various project titles in schools has been strengthened. However, from this year onwards, according to reports, this presence is being pursued more seriously, and it seems that the presence of seminarians in the school curriculum is going to become mandatory.
The Summoned 90s Generation
In May of this year, the controversial clip ‘Hello Commander’ was released, which had widespread reactions. Among revolutionary conservatives, it was highly praised, and multiple versions of it were made and broadcast even in other countries. Among opponents and critics, it was heavily criticized, and humorous dubsmash versions were made of it. The central issue of this anthem was the presence of children and teenagers from the 90s generation, which was also mentioned in the clip itself, and its military and ideological content with the notion that the commander has summoned his 90s generation.
Although the history of ideologically and politically themed songs and anthems aimed at children is not limited to war-era anthems, in September 2016, a clip was released featuring boys approximately 11 to 15 years old singing a song with the theme of defending the shrine, saying they are always ready to sacrifice their lives on the leader’s command. Some believe that these children were part of the same summoned 90s generation.
Violation of Children’s Rights
Using children and students as military forces or human shields is prohibited and condemned. Article 38 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that political groups must not use individuals under the age of fifteen in war. The government is responsible for the physical and mental well-being of children and must not mobilize them for military actions and should refrain from enrolling them to participate in military conflicts.
All international covenants emphasize that children, especially those aged 7 to 14, should be educated in completely free conditions, away from ideological pressures and military training, so that their personality develops in an environment where they have the right to choose, are free, and can think and become inquisitive individuals for their society. Iran joined the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991 and ratified it in 1998.
However, each time the Iranian parliament signed treaties, it added the clause that it reserves the right to disregard such treaties if they are inconsistent with domestic laws and Sharia. The principles governing the Convention on the Rights of the Child, including the principle of the best interests of the child, under any circumstances, question the presence of children in armed conflicts.
Protest of Civil Institutions
The Coordinating Council of Cultural Associations and hundreds of activists in the field of children’s and adolescent literature have condemned the arrest of protesting teenagers and the presence of children in special units to suppress protests by issuing a statement. These literature activists wrote in this statement on October 7 that these days, among the angry and justice-seeking people who have taken to the streets in protest of the killing of Mahsa Amini, there are teenagers who have joined the protests with the shared hope of creating a bright future free from injustice, coercion, and suppression. The statement goes on to mention the provisions of the global Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Law on the Protection of Children and Adolescents in Iran, stating that the response to any protester, especially a teenage protester, is not a bullet, and their place is not in prison.
In this statement, activists from various fields in children’s literature, including writers, translators, journalists, illustrators, and publishers, have also called for the immediate release of detained teenagers and an end to the bloody suppression of protesters. The signatories in their statement also described lining up a number of armed teenagers in military attire against protesting people as a clear violation of children’s rights and their instrumental use, writing that this approach will have dire and irreparable consequences for the commanders.