The deep scars that war leaves forever

A view of Flander’s Field in Belgium. What was once a forest has been pulverized by countless artillery strikes from heavy guns (Historyplace)

By Dr. Hassan Humeida

Kiel, Germany: In wars, there are only losers and no winners. This applies to the so-called vanquished as well as to victors who celebrate a victory and celebrate it uninhibitedly.

War leaves deep scars on war victims and war leaders. On the victims of war, the deep scars are clearly visible.

In the case of the war leaders, they are hidden at the beginning but will sooner or later come up like a bomb. Brave, strong, mentally and physically fit people quickly turn into people who have lost strength, sympathy and humor and they can no longer cope with the simplest things in everyday life.

These are very well hidden in the nature of the traumatized soldiers “ticking bombs” who may shoot down their own colleagues or commanders. They are soldiers who normally maintain order and security in society. They are soldiers who take up arms overnight and go to war. They are soldiers who shoot, injure, torture and kill innocent civilians and other soldiers like them.

Traumatized soldiers not only pose a danger to those close to them, family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, but also to society as a whole. Therefore, war is lost for everyone, even if it is won.

War leaves not only traumatized soldiers, but also traumatized people -Children, women, the elderly and the sick.

The loud noises and huge explosions cause fear and anxiety in all people, and the younger and more sensitive beings are, the more severe the effects of war are on them.

The traumatic experiences of war remain with people for a long time and they are difficult to erase from memory.

The consequences are particularly grave for children and young people. They destroy the future of young people who once believed that the future is wide open to them and who embrace life in a peaceful world.

People fleeing war fear more than death. They fear primarily the atrocities ahead of death. These can be bad acts like torture and rape and to make it worse, in front of the family members, because war knows no morals.

Because of this, many people are leaving their homes, especially women, children and young people. Many prefer to leave everything behind and go away. Many even wish to die before witnessing atrocities such as torture and rape. Life comes, life goes and the producing lethal weapons continues.

It is not an easy task to explain to children and young people why there is war, who is at war against whom and why people are fleeing. Why are people leaving their houses and apartments to look for alternatives across national borders? Why are some people killed and others allowed to live? Questions that perhaps good and sensible global politics can answer!!

An excerpt from my children’s book entitled “The Return Back Home” – Published in 2018 – In my old home (20):

I returned to my old city and to my first home. The face of my city was no longer the one I knew and loved. The city had a sad face. It was a face marked by the suffering of war. The face of my city was jagged and wrinkled, carrying by the horrors of the past.

Darkness reigned in my city. Its streets widened and the corners of my city seemed black and dark to me. This was from the fires that had kindled within her and the dust that had settled inside her. The ashes of the gunpowder lay on the streets and made their way into the alleys and corners.

Dr. Hassan Humeida

email: hassan_humeida@yahoo.de