Daily Lessons from Life 01 May 2011 - Child suicide bomber kills four in day of Afghan clashes

"Child suicide bomber kills four in day of Afghan clashes - AFP Sun, May 01, 2011

KABUL, Afghanistan - A 12-year-old suicide bomber killed four people and wounded a dozen in east Afghanistan Sunday, while rebel clashes with police and NATO-led troops left five civilians and two police dead, officials said.

The death toll from the day's fighting included at least three children besides the bomber, and dozens of civilians were wounded in firefights as violence appeared to escalate after the Taliban announced a spring offensive.

The boy - thought to be one of the country's youngest-ever suicide attackers - detonated an explosive vest in a marketplace in Paktika province near the Pakistan border, provincial spokesman Mukhlis Afghan said.

"The head of Shkin district council, Shair Nawaz, a woman and two other men were killed and 12 others were wounded," he said in a statement.

It was unclear how authorities established the age of the bomber, with the bodies of suicide attackers often difficult to identify.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the bombing on behalf of the group, which he said was behind all but one of Sunday's attacks. He told AFP they were part of the Islamists' fresh offensive, announced Saturday."

If the suicide bomber is indeed 12-year old, I feel that the Taliban leader should feel ashamed of this.

What is the basis for such a request, even IF the boy is fully capable of comprehending what he has been asked to do. In the most optimistic case, the Taliban may say that the boy ASKED to have this honour, and it is STILL humanely WRONG to ask a young 12-year boy to blow himself up and killed or maimed some other fellow human beings. In fact, even if he had asked, the Taliban should have asked him to WAIT!!

Lessons for me are:

1. I do not, and will NOT, ever understand how an adult can ask or allow a 12-year old to blow himself up to kill or maim some other fellow human beings;

2. I do not, and will NOT, ever feel that a 12-year old should be ask or allow to blow himself up to kill or maim other fellow human beings;

3. I do believed that a 12-year old should be enjoying his childhood, no matter how bleak his situation maybe, as if there is life, there is hope. And if there is hope, there is life. Who knows. Maybe if he had waited or ask to wait till he is an adult, like the adult leader who asked or allowed him to take on this 'honourable' suicide mission when he is 18-year old, the war might had been over. There is NO NEED to blowing oneself off to take down a few collateral damages!

Finally, is the boy given his 200 virgins or 20 virgins in 'heaven' since he was a suicide bomber? Is he legally able to do what has been given as his 'rewards' of being a Martyre? I am confused. And sad...