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Orphans of the drug trade may follow family example
When nine-year-old ´A´ heard Little Red Riding Hood for the first time last year, his life in drug trafficking was already well underway. For two years, he had worked in Rio’s dangerous drug trade before he was arrested for attempted assault. ´A´ is one of many children whose parents have been killed in drug-related violence. Now these young people risk becoming the new "soldiers" in the conflict between rival drug factions.
One project is determined to help ’A’ avoid the same fate as his parents. The Restoring Hope/Without Walls Child Psychiatry Project- a collaboration between a local university, child welfare groups and the juvenile court system- works to reclaim the childhood that many have lost.
A survey published by the Brazilian Institute for Social Health Innovations (IBISS) on 5,442 children and adolescents working in the drug trade in Rio’s 232 slums, or favelas found that one in 14 had a parent killed in gang-related violence. The situation is even more serious for younger
children. For children aged ten, the number climbed to one in eight.
These orphans now make up the ranks of an army of abandoned children who risk following in the footsteps of their parents.
"This is passed from one generation to the next. There’s contamination within the family. They live in the same conditions as their parents," says Jairo Werner, programme co-ordinator.
Program gives young people a choice
The survey, part of the Never Again Soldiers Project, tracks children in the city’s drug trade. According to IBISS Executive Director Nanko van Buuren, many of these young people begin trafficking out of a sense of anger.
"They’re frustrated and angry that they have suffered the loss of a parent while at the same time needing adrenaline to forget. They need to experience something dangerous. But if they had other outlets, they wouldn’t get into trafficking," says Nanko. He adds that the Never Again
Soldiers Project has already given many young people an alternative to gangs. "Now many of them work as survey researchers," he says.
The case of seven-year-old ’C’ illustrates how this anger is generated: He and his sisters watched as their mother was taken from their home, hanged and her body burned. ’C’s trauma manifests itself in memory lapses and occasional flashbacks. While sharing his dreams to be Batman and have a big toy collection, ’C’ cries out without warning, "My mommy died."
This anger, says Werner, combined with lack of alternatives, makes the situation worse.
"They’re defiant and have many problems in school. They reject authority, but in the end are controlled by the drug trade," he says. "In order to change this situation it’s necessary for these young people have access to the same rights and opportunities as any other child. The problem just isn’t psychological, but social, cultural and economic, too."
A juvenile court staff member, who asked not to be identified, says that the majority of children that pass through the system are the victims of neglect.
"I was shocked when I first started here. Everyday I hear the same story. In almost all of the cases the children say that they ran away from home because they were beaten by addicted or alcoholic parents. Others lost their parents in drug-related conflict. Basically, they’re all orphans."
The children rarely speak out, she says, because of fear of being killed by other gang members. "They say that trafficking protects them, but I’ve never seen a lawyer around here. They’re left alone and terrified. The other day a boy simply threw himself from a fourth story window."
Many times these children inherit the "family business" from fathers or other relatives, as is the case with twin brothers Tiago and Diogo. After the death of their father, the twins assumed control of drug trafficking in the Parque União favela. Similarly, control in Vigário Geral went to the son of trafficker Elias Pereira da Silva after his arrest.
"The richest traffickers, like Fernadinho Beira-Mar, keep their kids away from the business," says Civil Police Officer Marina Maggessi. "The kids of less wealthy traffickers are the ones involved."
Violence threatens childhood and future
Two themes reoccur in the stories of these young people: experiencing a violent loss and uncertainty about the future. Although they are troubled by their memories, they still smile when playing or talking about their hopes and dreams.
Now ’A’ dreams of a world without guns. He wishes for two birthday presents: a mobile phone and a reunion with his father, who left the family shortly before his mother was murdered.
"I want a mobile because all my friends have one. It would be cool to see my dad and meet my other brothers, too," he says.
’A’ was brought up by three brothers, who were also involved in the drug trade. They provided well for him; a computer, stereo and toys. Now, however, two of his brothers are dead and the third is serving time in prison.
"I really loved my brothers. I dream about them a lot. I hate the men who killed them," he says.
For ’A’s aunt, emotions also run high. Her 16-year-old son witnessed his cousin die and now wants to get involved in drugs. "He says that it’s a way not to think about it, a way to forget," she says.
Eleven-year-old ’B’ was left orphaned when a trafficker mistakenly killed his father. Now his grandmother is raising him and trying to keep him away from the drug trade.
"I try and stop him, but he always gets away. I’m afraid because there are boys doing cocaine and smoking marijuana right in front our house. He talks to them about their adventures. Even in school it’s hard to keep him away from it."
Sources:OGlobo
(www.oglobo.com.br/rio) "Orphans of Violence", published on 4 July, 2004. Report
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